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At least 793 records · Page 44

Solvent-free synthesis of lanthanide oxide and mixed lanthanide oxide nanoparticles

Lanthanide oxides and mixed lanthanide oxides can be produced using furnace or microwave assisted solid-state synthesis. The use of Ln-tri(methylsilyl)amide-based precursors yields spherical nanoparticles. The formation of spherical shaped nanoparticles is likely due to the preferential single-step decomposition of the Ln-TMS as well as the low activation energy to overcome decomposition. Reaction temperature, initial metal ion ratio, and reaction dwell time can be used to control the final nanoparticle size. The method enables solvent-free, high-yield synthesis of morphology-controlled lanthanide oxides.

Treadwell, LaRico Juan↗

High-performance heterostructured cathodes for lithium-ion batteries with a Ni-rich layered oxide core and a Li-rich layered oxide shell

The Ni-rich layered oxides with a Ni content of >0.5 are drawing much attention recently to increase the energy density of lithium-ion batteries. However, the Ni-rich layered oxides suffer from aggressive reaction of the cathode surface with the organic electrolyte at the higher operating voltages, resulting in consequent impedance rise and capacity fade. To overcome this difficulty, we present here a heterostructure composed of a Ni-rich LiNi 0.7 Co 0.15 Mn 0.15 O 2 core and a Li-rich Li 1.2-x Ni 0.2 Mn 0.6 O 2 shell, incorporating the advantageous features of the structural stability of the core and chemical stability of the shell. With a unique chemical treatment for the activation of the Li 2 MnO 3 phase of the shell, a high capacity is realized with the Li-rich shell material. Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) provides direct evidence for the formation of surface Li-rich shell layer. Finally, the heterostructure exhibits a high capacity retention of 98% and a discharge- voltage retention of 97% during 100 cycles with a discharge capacity of 190 mA h g -1 (at 2.0–4.5 V under C/3 rate, 1C = 200 mA g -1 ).

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Aftertreatment protocols for catalyst characterization and performance evaluation: low-temperature oxidation, storage, three-way, and NH3-SCR catalyst test protocols

A set of standardized and realistic aftertreatment catalyst test protocols have been developed by the Advanced Combustion and Emission Control Technical Team in support of the U.S.DRIVE Partnership. The protocols are intended to accelerate the pace of aftertreatment catalyst innovation by enabling the accurate evaluation and comparison of aftertreatment catalyst performance data from various testing and research facilities to maximize the impact of discovery-phase research occurring across the nation. The protocols address a need identified by the Partnership’s industry partners for consistent and accurate metrics for aftertreatment catalyst evaluation and comparison. The protocols consist of a set of standardized requirements and test procedures that sufficiently capture the performance capability of a catalyst technology in a manner that is adaptable in various laboratories. The protocols provide a detailed description of the necessary reactor system, the steps for achieving a desired aged state of the catalyst, all necessary sample pretreatment to be performed prior to testing, and realistic test conditions for evaluating performance. This article details four low-temperature catalyst test protocols applicable to (1) oxidation catalysts, (2) passive storage (and release) catalysts, (3) three-way catalysts, and (4) NH3-SCR catalysts. The catalyst test protocol descriptions are presented in five (5) sections: protocol general guidelines and the four individual catalyst test protocol descriptions. The general guidelines plus the individual protocol description forms the complete low-temperature catalyst test protocol for the application.

Emission control, Three-way catalyst, oxidation, S↗

Facile electrostatic self-assembly of silicon/reduced graphene oxide porous composite by silica assist as high performance anode for Li-ion battery

Silicon(Si)/graphene composite has been regarded as one of the most promising candidates for next generation anode materials with high power and energy density in lithium ion batteries. Introduction of graphene in Si anodes could improve the electronic conductivity, suppress the severe volume expansion of Si, and facilitate the formation of stable solid electrolyte interphase, etc. However, traditionally mechanical mixing of Si and graphene cannot realize uniform distribution of Si particles on the graphene sheets, which would largely weaken the effectiveness of the graphene in the composite. In this work, nano-Si/reduced graphene oxide porous composite (p Si/rGO) has been fabricated by a facile electrostatic self-assembly approach via using SiO2 as the sacrificial template. Compared with the simply mechanically mixed nano-Si and rGO (Si/rGO), the nano-Si particles could be more uniformly dispersed among the rGO sheets in the p Si/rGO, which significantly increases its electronic conductivity. Moreover, the drastic volume expansion of nano-Si during repeated lithiation/delithiation cycles also has been effectively accommodated by the large number of pores left after removing the SiO2 template in the composite. Thus, the p Si/rGO presented largely enhanced electrochemical performances, showing a high reversible capacity up to 1849?mA?h?g-1 at 0.2?A?g-1 with good capacity retention, and high rate capability (535?mA?h?g-1 at 2?A?g-1).

Silicon, Reduced graphene oxide, Electrostatic sel↗

Self-supporting activated carbon/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide flexible electrode for high performance supercapacitor

A self-supporting and flexible activated carbon/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide (AC/CNT/RGO) film has been rationally designed for constructing high- performance supercapacitor. The AC/CNT/RGO film is prepared by anchoring the AC particles with a 3D and porous framework built by hierarchically weaving the 1 D CNT and 2D RGO using their intrinsic van der Waals force. The CNT network is beneficial for improving the electronic conductivity of the electrode, while the AC particles could effectively suppress the aggregation of RGO and CNT due to their blocking effect. The synergistic effects among the AC, CNT and RGO validate the AC/CNT/RGO as a promising electrode for supercapacitor, exhibiting greatly enhanced electrochemical performances in comparison with the pure RGO film, pure CNT film and AC electrode. The AC/CNT/RGO electrode delivers a high specific capacitance of 101 F g-1 at the current density of 0.2 A g-1, offering a maximum energy density of 30.0 W h kg-1 in organic electrolyte at the cut-off voltage range of 0.001~3.0 V. The findings of this work open a new avenue for the design of self-supporting electrodes for the development of flexible and light weight energy storage supercapacitor.

activated carbon/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene ↗

TiO x -supported Na-Mn-W oxides for the oxidative coupling of methane

Supported Na-Mn-W oxides are among the most studied catalysts for the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) because of their superior thermal stability and relatively high C 2+ product yields. However, because of the structural complexity, the roles of each component in these catalysts have been controversial. In this work, WO x and MnO x sites were supported on titanate nanowires and employed in OCM studies. Compared to the commonly studied silica support, which is subject to severe restructuring due to the Na-induced crystallization, titanate support not only serves as a reservoir for alkali metals (e.g., Na), but also stabilizes isolated MnO x species. The catalytic performance of the titanate-based catalyst is similar to that of reference catalyst, MnO x /Na 2 WO 4 /SiO 2 , with a synergistic effect between MnO x and WO x sites. Further, advanced electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy suggest that the basic NaO x and MnO x species have strong interactions with the acidic WO x and TiO x species, which might contribute to the high selectivity toward C 2+ products and suppressed CO x formation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Chromium evaporation and oxidation characteristics of alumina-forming austenitic stainless steels for balance of plant applications in solid oxide fuel cells

The chromium (Cr) evaporation behavior of several different types of iron (Fe)-based AFA alloys and benchmark Cr 2 O 3 -forming Fe-based 310 and Ni-based 625 alloys was investigated for 500 h exposures at 800 °C to 900 °C in air with 10% H 2 O. The Cr evaporation rates from alumina-forming austenitic (AFA) alloys were ~5 to 35 times lower than that of the Cr 2 O 3 -forming alloys depending on alloy and temperature. The Cr evaporation behavior was correlated with extensive characterization of the chemistry and microstructure of the oxide scales, which also revealed a degree of quartz tube Si contamination during the test. As a result, long-term oxidation kinetics were also assessed at 800 to 1000 °C for up to 10,000 h in air with 10% H 2 O to provide further guidance for SOFC BOP component alloy selection.

08 HYDROGEN↗

A Versatile Approach for Quantification of Surface Site Fractions using Reaction Kinetics: The Case of CO Oxidation on Supported Ir Single Atoms and Nanoparticles

Supported metal single atom catalysts have shown unique activity and selectivity for several reactions. Investigating the reaction mechanism on single atom catalysts and unambiguous assignment of the activity and selectivity requires catalysts with exclusively single atoms. However, it is challenging to prepare pure single atom catalysts with conventional impregnation methods, which typically result in a mixture of single atoms and nanoparticles. Here, we show that owing to different reaction mechanisms on single atoms and nanoparticles, reaction kinetics can serve as a surface sensitive characterization technique for quantifying their surface site fractions. As a case study, we use CO oxidation kinetics on Ir/MgAl2O4 to quantify the surface site fractions of single atoms and nanoparticles and the results are consistent with aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, X-ray absorption fine structure and infrared spectroscopies. Additionally, by carefully choosing the reaction conditions, the activity of single atoms (or nanoparticles) can be made dominant, enabling detection of a small fraction, or allowing a study of their reaction mechanism on a catalyst containing a mixture of single atoms and nanoparticles. These results are general and could be applied to other systems where two types of sites have different reaction mechanisms.

Single atom catalyst, Kinetics, CO oxidation, x-ra↗

In situ oxidation of reduced graphene oxide membranes by peracetic acid for dye desalination

Graphene oxide (GO) membranes with tunable interlayer spacings are of interest for dye removal from salty textile wastewater, and the membranes are often reduced to improve their stability, which inevitably lowers water permeance. Herein, we demonstrate that reduced GO (rGO) membranes can be facilely modified using peracetic acid (PAA) in situ to dramatically enhance water permeance while retaining dye rejection. Specifically, PAA-modified membranes (PrGO) are synthesized by vacuum-filtering hydrazine-reduced rGO nanosheets onto Nylon substrate and then exposing them to PAA solutions. The effects of the rGO layer thickness, PAA content, and PAA exposure time on the membrane chemistry, nanostructures, and salt/dye separation properties are thoroughly examined. For example, the PAA oxidation of a 100 nm-thick rGO membrane for 10 min increases water permeance by 180 %, from 35 to 93 Liter m −2 h −1 bar −1 , and decreases Na 2 SO 4 rejection from 10 % to 3.3 % while retaining the rejection of Congo red at ≈99.7 %. The PrGO membranes exhibit stable water permeance and >99 % dye rejection in multi-cycle tests in a crossflow system, surpassing state-of-the-art GO membranes and showcasing their potential for practical applications.

Dye desalination↗

Dominance of interface chemistry over the bulk properties in determining the electronic structure of epitaxial metal/perovskite oxide heterojunctions

We show that despite very similar crystallographic properties and work function values in the bulk, epitaxial Fe and Cr metallizations on Nb:SrTiO3(001) generate completely different heterojunction electronic properties. Cr is Ohmic whereas Fe forms a Schottky barrier with a barrier height of 0.50 eV. This contrast arises because of differences in interface chemistry. In contrast to Cr [Chambers, S. A. et al., Adv. Mater. 2013, 25, 4001.], Fe exhibits a +2 oxidation state and occupies Ti sites in the perovskite lattice, resulting in negligible charge transfer to Ti, upward band bending, and Schottky barrier formation. The differences between Cr and Fe are understood by performing first-principles calculations of the energetics of defect formation which corroborate the observed interface chemistry and structure.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗

Role of Cations in the Cation-Driven Assembly Process and their Effect on the Charge Storage Properties of Bilayered Vanadium Oxide and Reduced Graphene Oxide Heterostructures in Alkali Ion Systems

Exfoliated δ-Li x V 2 O 5 ·nH 2 O (ex-LVO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) heterostructures were constructed using different assembling cations (i.e., Li⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺ ions). The ex-LVO and rGO nanoflakes were stacked together using a concentrated chloride solution of each assembling cation and vacuum annealed at 200 °C to form three distinct two-dimensional (2D) layered architectures. X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis confirmed that the assembling ions can control the interlayer spacing of the bilayered vanadium oxide (BVO) phase as well as impact the crystallographic water content, which in turn affects the electrochemical performance. Scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed that a 2D heterointerface formed between LVO and rGO and that the cations used to assemble the heterostructure are trapped in the interlayer BVO region. High-resolution STEM imaging also showed the rGO dispersion throughout the LVO layers. Moreover, STEM-EELS identified a V 2 O 3 phase that forms along the rGO interface and can stabilize the materials during cycling. A charge storage mechanism analysis, combined with the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique, found that increased interlayer spacings of the BVO phase and using the assembling cations to define intercalation sites for identical charge-carrying ions lead to improved ion diffusion and increased capacities during cycling. Therefore, the Li⁺ and Na⁺ ion assembled heterostructures showed improved charge-carrying ion diffusion and charge storage capacities in each of their respective charge storage systems (i.e., Li-ion and Na-ion half-cells). In total, the cation used for heterostructure assembly can modify the final material structure and tailor the ion diffusion and charge storage capacity to tune its properties for the desired electrochemical system using a variety of 2D materials.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Cation-Driven Assembly of Bilayered Vanadium Oxide and Graphene Oxide Nanoflakes to Form Two-Dimensional Heterostructure Electrodes for Li-Ion Batteries

Lithium preintercalated bilayered vanadium oxide (LVO or δ-Li x V 2 O 5 ·nH 2 O) and graphene oxide (GO) nanoflakes were assembled using a concentrated lithium chloride solution and annealed under vacuum at 200 °C to form two-dimensional (2D) δ-Li x V 2 O 5 ·nH 2 O and reduced GO (rGO) heterostructures. Here we found that the Li + ions from LiCl enhanced the oxide/carbon heterointerface formation and served as stabilizing ions to improve structural and electrochemical stability. The graphitic content of the heterostructure could be easily controlled by changing the initial GO concentration prior to assembly. We found that increasing the GO content in our heterostructure composition helped inhibit the electrochemical degradation of LVO during cycling and improved the rate capability of the heterostructure. A combination of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction was used to help confirm that a 2D heterointerface formed between LVO and GO, and the final phase composition was determined using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy were additionally used to examine the heterostructures at high resolution, mapping the orientations of rGO and LVO layers and locally imaging their interlayer spacings. Further, electrochemical cycling of the cation-assembled LVO/rGO heterostructures in Li-ion cells with a non-aqueous electrolyte revealed that increasing the rGO content led to improved cycling stability and rate performance, despite slightly decreased charge storage capacity. The heterostructures with 0, 10, 20, and 35 wt % rGO exhibited capacities of 237, 216, 174, and 150 mAh g –1 , respectively. Moreover, the LVO/rGO-35 wt % and LVO/rGO-20 wt % heterostructures retained 75% (110 mAh g–1) and 67% (120 mAh g –1 ) of their initial capacities after increasing the specific current from 20 to 200 mA g –1 , while the LVO/rGO-10 wt % sample retained only 48% (107 mAh g –1 ) of its initial capacity under the same cycling conditions. In addition, the cation-assembled LVO/rGO electrodes exhibited enhanced electrochemical stability compared to electrodes prepared through physical mixing of LVO and GO nanoflakes in the same ratios as the heterostructure electrodes, further revealing the stabilizing effect of a 2D heterointerface. The cation-driven assembly approach, explored in this work using Li + cations, was found to induce and stabilize the formation of stacked 2D layers of rGO and exfoliated LVO. The reported assembly methodology can be applied for a variety of systems utilizing 2D materials with complementary properties for applications as electrodes in energy storage devices.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Formation of Supported Graphene Oxide: Evidence for Enolate Species

Graphene oxides are promising materials for novel electronic devices or anchoring of the active sites for catalytic applications. Here we focus on understanding the oxygen binding on different regions of graphene (Gr) on Ru(0001). Differences in the Gr/Ru lattices result in the superstructure, which offers an array of distinct adsorption sites. We employ scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory to map out the chemical identity and stability of prepared oxygen functionalities in different Gr regions. We demonstrate that in the regions that are close to the metal substrate, the terminally-bonded enolate groups are strongly preferred over bridge-bonded epoxy configurations. No oxygen species are observed on the graphene regions that are far from the underlying Ru, indicating their low relative stability. This study provides a clear fundamental basis for understanding the structural and electronic factors that affect the stability of enolate and epoxy species as a function of Gr/Ru interactions.

Supported Graphene, Graphene Functionalization, Gr↗

Studies on the chemical synthesis and characterization of lead oxide nanoparticles with different organic capping agents

Lead oxide (PbO) nanoparticles were chemically synthesized using Lead (II) acetate as precursor. The effects of organic capping agents such as Oleic acid, Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic acid (EDTA) and Cetryl Tri Methyl Butoxide (CTAB) on the size and morphology of the nanoparticles were studied. Characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform-Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Photoluminescence (PL) Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) were used to analyse the prepared nanoparticles for their physical, structural and optical properties. The characterization studies reveal that the synthesized PbO nanoparticles had well defined crystalline structure and sizes in the range of 25 nm to 36 nm for capping agents used and 40 nm for pure PbO nanoparticles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Investigation on edge fringing effect and oxide thickness dependence of inversion current in metal-oxide-semiconductor tunneling diodes with comb-shaped electrodes

A particular edge-dependent inversion current behavior of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) tunneling diodes was investigated utilizing square and comb-shaped electrodes. The inversion tunneling current exhibits the strong dependence on the tooth size of comb-shaped electrodes and oxide thickness. Detailed illustrations of current conduction mechanism are developed by simulation and experimental measurement results. It is found that the electron diffusion current and Schottky barrier height lowering for hole tunneling current both contribute on inversion current conduction. In MOS tunneling photodiode applications, the photoresponse can be improved by decreasing SiO{sub 2} thickness and using comb-shaped electrodes with smaller tooth spacing. Meantime, the high and steady photosensitivity can also be approached by introducing HfO{sub 2} into dielectric stacks.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗