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At least 415 records · Page 23

Room Temperature to 150 °C Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by a Rigid Molecular Ionic Composite Electrolyte

Molecular ionic composites (MICs), made from ionic liquids and a rigid-rod polymer poly(2,2'-disulfonyl-4,4'-benzidine terephthalamide) (PBDT), are a new type of rigid gel electrolyte that combine fast ion transport with high thermal stability and mechanical strength. In this work, a MIC electrolyte membrane is prepared that is composed of PBDT, lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), and 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (Pyr 14 TFSI) in a mass ratio of 10:10:80. The ionic conductivity at 25 °C is 0.56 mS cm –1 with no added flammable/volatile components. Although the polymer content is only 10 wt%, this MIC membrane is rigid with a tensile modulus of 410 MPa at room temperature. The MIC membrane remains stable and rigid at 200 °C with the shear storage modulus (G') only slightly decreasing by 35%. Li/MIC/LiFePO 4 cells demonstrate stable cycling performance over a wide temperature range from 23 to 150 °C. The specific discharge capacity at 100 and 150 °C at 1 C rate exceeds 160 mAh g –1 . The discharge capacity retention is 99% after 50 cycles at 150 °C. Furthermore, this stable battery performance shows that this low polymer content MIC membrane qualifies for use as a solid electrolyte in lithium metal batteries operating over a wide temperature range.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Economizing on Precious Metals in Three-Way Catalysts: Thermally Stable and Highly Active Single-Atom Rhodium on Cera for NO Abatement under Dry and Industrially Relevant Conditions

We show for the first time that atomically dispersed Rh cations on ceria, prepared via high-temperature atom trapping synthesis, are the active species for (CO+NO) reaction. This provides a direct link with the organometallic homogeneous Rh(I) complexes capable of catalyzing dry (CO+NO) reaction but without the stability concern. In particular, thermally stable Rh cations in 0.1wt% Rh1/CeO2 achieve full NO conversion with a TOF of ~ 330 hr-1 per Rh atom at 120 °C. Under dry conditions, the main product above 100 °C is N2 with N2O being the minor product. The presence of water promotes low-temperature activity of 0.1wt% Rh1/CeO2 starting at 50 °C with full NO conversion at ~120 °C. In the case with the wet stream, however, ammonia and nitrogen are the main products with only minor N2O amounts. NH3 formation at such low temperatures is attractive because of the potential to use this as a passive SCR system. Because of the uniformity of Rh ions on the support, we are able to observe the intermediates of (CO+NO) reaction via infrared measurements on Rh cations on zeolite and ceria. Furthermore, we show that ammonia formation correlates with the WGS activity of the material and thus, rhodium hydride Rh-H species are involved in this reaction: we detect Rh(CO)Hx species on ceria using isotopic IR measurements. These findings provide new mechanistic understanding for the catalytically active species in TWC catalysis and open up a new avenue for the synthesis of novel emissions control catalysts with 100% atom economy of ultra-expensive precious metals such as Rh.

Khivantsev, Konstantin↗

Li 2 S 6 ‐Integrated PEO‐Based Polymer Electrolytes for All‐Solid‐State Lithium‐Metal Batteries

Abstract The integration of Li 2 S 6 within a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)‐based polymer electrolyte is demonstrated to improve the polymer electrolyte's ionic conductivity because the strong interplay between O 2− (PEO) and Li + from Li 2 S 6 reduces the crystalline volume within the PEO. The Li/electrolyte interface is stabilized by the in situ formation of an ultra‐thin Li 2 S/Li 2 S 2 layer via the reaction between Li 2 S 6 and lithium metal, which increases the ionic transport at the interface and suppresses lithium dendrite growth. A symmetric Li/Li cell with the Li 2 S 6 ‐integrated composite electrolyte has excellent cyclability and a high critical current density of 0.9 mA cm −2 at 40 °C. Impressive electrochemical performance is demonstrated with all‐solid‐state Li/LiFePO 4 and high‐voltage Li/LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 cells at 40 °C.

Fang, Ruyi↗

Single‐Site, Single‐Metal‐Atom, Heterogeneous Electrocatalyst: Metal–Organic‐Framework Supported Molybdenum Sulfide for Redox Mediator‐Assisted Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract Synthesis of single‐site catalysts, whereby the local structure and surrounding chemical environments are identical, has been challenging, particularly in heterogeneous catalysis, as the support often presents spectrum of chemically distinct binding sites. Yet, the above criteria are crucial in attributing the apparent catalytic performance to the structural motif. The presented work augments on our previous work using monometallic molybdenum sulfide tethered within a zirconium‐based metal‐organic framework (MOF), NU‐1000; the monometallic nature enables all presented sites to be catalytically addressable. As the molybdenum sulfide species resided within two distinct pores (micro‐ and mesopores) of the MOF support, we have imparted uniformity in the local chemical environment by reducing the pore heterogeneity down to a single mesopore. Single‐site and single‐atom nature of the candidate catalyst was established via X‐ray diffraction measurements. Redox mediators were implemented, which, under reductive potentials, provide reduced species; they can effectively deliver the necessary reducing equivalences to the catalytic units that can otherwise not be addressed electrochemically due to the low electron mobility within the framework. Our results indicate the micropore‐allocated molybdenum sulfide is approximately four times more active as that in mesopores, whereas its catalytic mechanism is identical, underscoring the importance of controlling chemical environment beyond the active site.

Noh, Hyunho↗

Quantum Sensing of Insulator‐to‐Metal Transitions in a Mott Insulator

Nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers, optically active atomic defects in diamond, have attracted tremendous interest for quantum sensing, network, and computing applications due to their excellent quantum coherence and remarkable versatility in a real, ambient environment. Taking advantage of these strengths, this paper reports on NV-based local sensing of the electrically driven insulator-to-metal transition (IMT) in a proximal Mott insulator. The resistive switching properties of both pristine and ion-irradiated VO 2 thin film devices are studied by performing optically detected NV electron spin resonance measurements. These measurements probe the local temperature and magnetic field in electrically biased VO 2 devices, which are in agreement with the global transport measurement results. In pristine devices, the electrically driven IMT proceeds through Joule heating up to the transition temperature while in ion-irradiated devices, the transition occurs nonthermally, well below the transition temperature. Here, the results provide direct evidence for nonthermal electrically induced IMT in a Mott insulator, highlighting the significant opportunities offered by NV quantum sensors in exploring nanoscale thermal and electrical behaviors in Mott materials.

McLaughlin, Nathan J.↗

Citric acid-assisted accumulation of Ni and other metals by Odontarrhena muralis: Implications for phytoextraction and metal foliar distribution assessed by μ-SXRF

Odontarrhena muralis is one of the most promissing plant species for Ni phytomining, and soil amendments can further increase its Ni phytoextraction ability. Here we investigated whether Ni phytomining/phytoremediation using this Ni hyperaccumulator can benefit from applying citric acid to a serpentine soil that is naturally enriched in Ni (>1000 mg kg -1 ). Synchrotron micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-SXRF) was used to image Ni and other metal distributions in whole fresh leaves of O. muralis. Leaf Ni accumulation in plants grown on citric acid-amended soil increased up to 55% while Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations were 4-, 14-, 6-, 7- and 1.3-fold higher than the control treatment. O. muralis presented high bioconcentration factors (leaf to soil concentration ratio) to Ni and Zn whereas Cr was seemingly excluded from uptake. The μ-SXRF images showed a uniform distribution of Ni, preferential localization of Co in the leaf tip, and clear concentration of Mn in the base of trichomes. The citric acid treatments strongly increased the Co fluoerescence intensity in the leaf tip and altered the spatial distribution of Mn across the leaf, but there was no difference in Ni fluorescence counts between the trichome-base region and the bulk leaf. Our data from a serpentine soil suggests that citrate treatment enhances Ni uptake, but Co is excreted from leaves even in low leaf concentrations, which can make Co phytoming using O. muralis unfeasible in natural serpentine soils.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Intrinsic Li Distribution in Layered Transition-Metal Oxides Using Low-Dose Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy and Spectroscopy

Understanding Li distribution in layered lithium transition-metal oxide (LiTMO) cathodes in Li-ion batteries has been a major challenge at the atomic scale and nanoscale. Li is extremely difficult to study by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) because the high-energy electrons impart significant energy and cause massive migration. Here, we directly map the intrinsic spatial distribution and bonding of Li in LiNiO 2 -layered cathode materials using low-dose and low-loss electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). EELS spectra of the Li–K edge are measured simultaneously with O–K and Ni–L, M 3,2 edges from layered, cation-mixed, and rock-salt phases and directly matched with atomic-resolution scanning TEM images to correlate the changes in peak intensities and positions to the stoichiometry changes with continual loss of Li and O. Changes in the Li content in the LiNiO 2 particles as a function of electron beam dose are studied by sequential Li spectroscopic mapping. We show that the “intrinsic” Li distribution can be observed using a total dose of less than ~1.5 × 10 8 e – nm –2 at an accelerating voltage of 80 kV. The method of nanoscale mapping of Li distribution introduced in this study is applicable to high-Ni LiTMO cathode materials (>89% of Ni) as well as LiNiO 2 . Further study on the extra peaks of the Li–K edge reveals that the peak at ~59 eV is from the Li ions intercalated in between NiO 2 layers barely interacting with each other with less Li K shell electrons pulled to the L shell electrons in NiO 2 . Furthermore, the results shown here provide improved low-loss TEM characterization approaches that can be used to understand the intrinsic fundamental behaviors in Li-ion batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Centrosymmetric or Noncentrosymmetric? Transition Metals Talking in K 2 TGe 3 S 8 (T = Co, Fe)

Two new quaternary sulfides K 2 TGe 3 S 8 (T=Co, Fe) have been synthesized by a high-temperature solid-state routine and flux growth method. The crystal growth process of K 2 TGe 3 S 8 (T=Co, Fe) was elucidated by in-situ powder X-ray diffraction and DSC thermal analysis. The mm-sized crystals of K 2 TGe 3 S 8 (T=Co, Fe) were grown. K 2 CoGe 3 S 8 crystallizes in a new structure type in centrosymmetric space group P1¯ (No. 2) with unit cell parameters of a = 7.016(1) Å, b = 7.770(1)Å, c = 14.342(1) Å, α = 93.80(1)°, β = 92.65(1)°, γ = 114.04(1)°. K 2 FeGe 3 S 8 crystallizes in K 2 FeGe 3 Se 8 structure type and the noncentrosymmetric space group P2 1 (No. 4) with unit cell parameters of a = 7.1089(5)Å, b = 11.8823(8)Å, c = 16.7588(11)Å, β = 96.604(2)°. There is a high structural similarity between K 2 CoGe 3 S 8 and K 2 FeGe 3 S 8 . The larger volume coupled with higher degrees of distortion of [FeS 4 ] tetrahedra compared to [CoS 4 ] tetrahedra accounts for the structure’s shift from centrosymmetric to noncentrosymmetric. The theory simulation confirms that [TS 4 ]T= Co or Fe tetrahedra play a crucial role in controlling the structure and properties of K 2 TGe 3 S 8 (T = Co, Fe). The measured optical bandgaps of K 2 CoGe 3 S 8 and K 2 FeGe 3 S 8 are 2.1(1) eV and 2.6(1) eV respectively. K 2 FeGe 3 S 8 shows antiferromagnetic ordering at 24K while no magnetic ordering was detected in K 2 CoGe 3 S 8 . In conclusion, the magnetic measurements also demonstrate the divalent nature of transition metals in K 2 TGe 3 S 8 (T = Co, Fe).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Theoretical Evaluation of Metal–Ligand Bonding in Neptunium Compounds in Relation to 237 Np Mössbauer Spectroscopy

The 237 Np Mössbauer isomer shift and quadrupole splitting (QS) are powerful probes for the metal–ligand bonding of neptunium, a 5f-element of vital importance in the nuclear fuel cycle. A large set of Np compounds with different oxidation states (III) to (VII) is studied to investigate, by first-principles calculations, isomer shifts and the QS trends in relation to the Np oxidation state. Natural Bond Orbital analysis reveals that in addition to donation bonding to the 5f shell, participation of the 6d and 7s neptunium shells in covalent (donation) bonding substantially impacts the isomer shifts. The isomer shift cannot be interpreted solely by the 5f shell electron count. The isomer shift for Np(II) compounds is estimated to be in the range of 31–34 mm/s, less positive than for Np(III) compounds. For the QS, density functional calculations fail to reproduce the quadrupole splitting for some Np(VI) ionic solids. A multiconfigurational wave function approach reproduces the observed QS trends. The calculations give a semiquantitative interpretation of the trends for Np oxidation states (V) to (VII). Furthermore, the contrasting QS for standard and “reverse” neptunyl(VI), at the opposite extremes of the observed QS scale, arises predominantly from the different crystal environments.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗