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At least 109 records · Page 6

Shear Thickening Electrolytes for High Impact Resistant Batteries

In this paper, we demonstrate a shear thickening electrolyte that stiffens into a solid-like barrier during a high energy event, like a car crash. This barrier prevents the electrodes from shorting during an impact, reducing the risk of fire or catastrophic safety events. In addition, we have demonstrated the ability to cycle NMC/graphite lithium ion cells over 200 cycles with no loss of capacity after formation. Finally, this chemistry introduces multifunctionality to a material previously feared due to its flammability.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Knittable and Washable Multifunctional MXene-Coated Cellulose Yarns

Textile-based electronics enable the next generation of wearable devices, which have the potential to transform the architecture of consumer electronics. Highly conductive yarns that can be manufactured using industrial-scale processing and be washed like everyday yarns are needed to fulfill the promise and rapid growth of the smart textile industry. By coating cellulose yarns with Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene, highly conductive and electroactive yarns are produced, which can be knitted into textiles using an industrial knitting machine. It is shown that yarns with MXene loading of ≈77 wt% (≈2.2 mg cm -1 ) have conductivity of up to 440 S cm -1 . After washing for 45 cycles at temperatures ranging from 30 to 80 °C, MXene-coated cotton yarns exhibit a minimal increase in resistance while maintaining constant MXene loading. The MXene-coated cotton yarn electrode offers a specific capacitance of 759.5 mF cm -1 at 2 mV s -1 . Additionally, a fully knitted textile-based capacitive pressure sensor is also prepared, which offers high sensitivity (gauge factor of ≈6.02), wide sensing range of up to ≈20% compression, and excellent cycling stability (2000 cycles at ≈14% compression strain). This work provides new and practical insights toward the development of platform technology that can integrate MXene in cellulose-based yarns for textile-based devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

One-step fabrication of robust lithium ion battery separators by polymerization-induced phase separation

Conventional lithium ion battery separators are microporous polyolefin membranes that play a passive role in the electrochemical cell. Next generation separators should offer significant performance enhancements, while being fabricated through facile, low cost approaches with the ability to readily tune physicochemical properties. This study presents a single-step manufacturing technique based on UV-initiated polymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS), wherein microporous separators are fabricated from multifunctional monomers and ethylene carbonate (EC), which functions as both the pore-forming agent (porogen) and electrolyte component in the electrochemical cell. By controlling the ratio of the 1,4-butanediol diacrylate (BDDA) monomer to ethylene carbonate, monolithic microporous membranes are readily prepared with 25 μm thickness and pore sizes and porosities ranging from 6.8 to 22 nm and 15.4% to 38.5%, respectively. With 38.5% apparent porosity and an average pore size of 22 nm, the poly(1,4-butanediol diacrylate) (pBDDA) separator takes up 127% liquid electrolyte, resulting in an ionic conductivity of 1.98 mS cm –1 , which is greater than in conventional Celgard 2500. Lithium ion battery half cells consisting of LiNi 0.5 Mn 0.3 Co 0.2 O 2 cathodes and pBDDA separators were shown to undergo reversible charge/discharge cycling with an average discharge capacity of 142 mA h g –1 and a capacity retention of 98.4% over 100 cycles – comparable to cells using state-of-the-art separators. Moreover, similar discharge capacities were achieved in rate performance tests due to the high ionic conductivity and electrolyte uptake of the film. Finally, the pBDDA separators were shown to be thermally stable to 374 °C, lack low temperature thermal transitions that can compromise cell safety, and exhibit no thermal shrinkage up to 150 °C.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

High Performance SOFCs with a Superior Stability for Reliable and Durable Power Systems

Next generation of fuel cells, electrolyzers, and batteries requires higher power, faster kinetics, and larger energy density, which necessitate the use of compositionally complex oxides to achieve multifunctionalities and activity. These compositionally complex oxides may change their phases and structures during an electrochemical process – a so-called “electrochemically driven phase transformation”. The origin for such a phase change has remained obscure. More importantly, there is a need to develop high performance solid oxide fuel cells with an enhanced stability. In this work, the La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3 (LSCF) cathode surface is modified by infiltration of Pr 6 O 11 and the power density at 0.8V and 750 °C is improved by 21%. In addition, by replacing the traditional barrier layer Gd 0.2 Ce 0.8 O 1.9 with mixed conducting Pr 0.1 Gd 0.1 Ce 0.8 O 1.9 , the power density increases by 38%. The different mechanism of promotions was investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The ohmic resistance is dramatically reduced by applying the PGCO interlayer, and the distribution of relaxation time was used to analyze the mechanism for which the polarization resistance was decreased attributing to the mixed conduction nature in PrO x . An increase of power density at 0.8 V of 0.358 W/cm 2 (71%) is achieved with the implementation of both surface modification and buffer layer engineering. An experimental study and a theoretical analysis were then carried out on phase evolution in praseodymium nickelates. Nickelate-based electrodes show up to 60× greater phase transformation during operation when compared to thermally annealed ones. Theoretical analysis suggests that the presence of a reduced oxygen partial pressure at the interface between the oxygen electrode and the electrolyte is the origin for the phase change in an oxygen electrode. Guided by the theory, an addition of the electronic conduction in the interface layer leads to the significant suppression of phase change, while improving cell performance and performance stability. When an oxygen electrode is under polarization, the oxygen partial pressure at the interface between the oxygen electrode and the electrolyte is lower than that of incoming oxidant. Under a high polarization, the environment at the aforementioned interface may lead to phase transformation of the oxygen electrode. The local oxygen partial pressure is determined by the transport properties at the interfaces. An addition of the electronic conduction in the interface layer, for instance using (Pr,Gd)-doped ceria to replace Gd-doped ceria, results in improved cell performance and performance stability, while the phase transformation is significantly suppressed. This work provides a fundamental understanding of the origin for phase transformation in oxygen electrodes during operation and use this knowledge to develop a high-performance electrode that exhibits improved performance stability.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

Separators for electrochemical cells

Provided are separators for use in an electrochemical cell comprising (a) an inorganic oxide and (b) an organic polymer, wherein the inorganic oxide comprises organic substituents. Preferably, the inorganic oxide comprises an hydrated aluminum oxide of the formula Al.sub.2O.sub.3.xH.sub.2O, wherein x is less than 1.0, and wherein the hydrated aluminum oxide comprises organic substituents, preferably comprising a reaction product of a multifunctional monomer and/or organic carbonate with an aluminum oxide, such as pseudo-boehmite and an aluminum oxide. Also provided are electrochemical cells comprising such separators.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Structure and Mutagenesis of the Parainfluenza Virus 5 Hemagglutinin-Neuraminidase Stalk Domain Reveals a Four-Helix Bundle and the Role of the Stalk in Fusion Promotion

Paramyxovirus entry into cells requires the fusion protein (F) and a receptor binding protein (hemagglutinin-neuraminidase [HN], H, or G). The multifunctional HN protein of some paramyxoviruses, besides functioning as the receptor (sialic acid) binding protein (hemagglutinin activity) and the receptor-destroying protein (neuraminidase activity), enhances F activity, presumably by lowering the activation energy required for F to mediate fusion of viral and cellular membranes. Before or upon receptor binding by the HN globular head, F is believed to interact with the HN stalk. Unfortunately, until recently none of the receptor binding protein crystal structures have shown electron density for the stalk domain. Parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) HN exists as a noncovalent dimer-of-dimers on the surface of cells, linked by a single disulfide bond in the stalk. Here we present the crystal structure of the PIV5-HN stalk domain at a resolution of 2.65 {angstrom}, revealing a four-helix bundle (4HB) with an upper (N-terminal) straight region and a lower (C-terminal) supercoiled part. The hydrophobic core residues are a mix of an 11-mer repeat and a 3- to 4-heptad repeat. To functionally characterize the role of the HN stalk in F interactions and fusion, we designed mutants along the PIV5-HN stalk that are N-glycosylated to physically disrupt F-HN interactions. By extensive study of receptor binding, neuraminidase activity, oligomerization, and fusion-promoting functions of the mutant proteins, we found a correlation between the position of the N-glycosylation mutants on the stalk structure and their neuraminidase activities as well as their abilities to promote fusion.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Operational Simulation of Multi-Functional Charging Station for Sustainable Transportation

As transportation systems move toward electrification and decarbonization, multifunctional charging stations (MFCS) are emerging as key infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs). This paper presents a simulation model of an MFCS that integrates solar photovoltaic (PV), wind power, battery storage, hydrogen (\mathrm{H}_{2}) production, dual-pressure \mathrm{H}_{2} storage, fuel cells, and dynamic grid interactions. The model simulates daily operations using 5 -minute resolution data to capture realtime variability in renewable energy (RE), demand, and electricity prices. A flexible dispatch algorithm dynamically allocates energy for EV charging, \mathrm{H}_{2} production, storage, and grid transactions while respecting system constraints. Results show that the MFCS effectively prioritizes RE usage, minimizes waste, meets diverse energy demands, and achieves net operational profit. The model serves as a valuable decision-support tool for designing and optimizing integrated clean energy hubs for zero-emission transportation.

Gbadegoye, Jeremiah [University of Tennessee, Knox↗

Secretory clusterin inhibits osteoclastogenesis by attenuating M-CSF-dependent osteoclast precursor cell proliferation

Highlights: • We describe the expression and secretion of clusterin in osteoclasts. • Endogenous clusterin deficiency does not affect osteoclast formation. • Exogenous treatment with secretory clusterin decreases osteoclast differentiation. • Secretory clusterin attenuates osteoclast precursor cell proliferation by inhibiting M-CSF-mediated ERK activation. - Abstract: Secretory clusterin (sCLU)/apolipoprotein J is a multifunctional glycoprotein that is ubiquitously expressed in various tissues. Reduced sCLU in the joints of patients with bone erosive disease is associated with disease activity; however, its exact role has yet to be elucidated. Here, we report that CLU is expressed and secreted during osteoclastogenesis in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) that are treated with receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). CLU-deficient BMMs obtained from CLU{sup −/−} mice exhibited no significant alterations in OC differentiation in comparison with BMMs obtained from wild-type mice. In contrast, exogenous sCLU treatment significantly inhibited OC formation in both BMMs and OC precursor cultures. The inhibitory effect of sCLU was more prominent in BMMs than OC precursor cultures. Interestingly, treating BMMs with sCLU decreased the proliferative effects elicited by M-CSF and suppressed M-CSF-induced ERK activation of OC precursor cells without causing apoptotic cell death. This study provides the first evidence that sCLU reduces OC formation by inhibiting the actions of M-CSF, thereby suggesting its protective role in bone erosion.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Versatile function of the circadian protein CIPC as a regulator of Erk activation

The CLOCK-interacting protein, Circadian (CIPC), has been identified as an additional negative-feedback regulator of the circadian clock. However, recent study on CIPC knockout mice has shown that CIPC is not critically required for basic circadian clock function, suggesting other unknown biological roles for CIPC. In this study, we focused on the cell cycle dependent nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling function of CIPC and on identifying its binding proteins. Lys186 and 187 were identified as the essential amino acid residues within the nuclear localization signal (NLS) of CIPC. We identified CIPC-binding proteins such as the multifunctional enzyme CAD protein (carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamoylase, and dihydroorotase), which is a key enzyme for de novo pyrimidine synthesis. Compared to control cells, HEK293 cells overexpressing wild-type CIPC showed suppressed cell proliferation and retardation of cell cycle. We also found that PMA-induced Erk activation was inhibited with expression of wild-type CIPC. In contrast, the NLS mutant of CIPC, which reduced the ability of CIPC to translocate into the nucleus, did not exhibit these biological effects. Since CAD and Erk have significant roles in cell proliferation and cell cycle, CIPC may work as a cell cycle regulator by interacting with these binding proteins. - Highlights: • CIPC is a cell cycle dependent nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling protein. • K186 and 187are the essential amino acid residues within the NLS of CIPC. • CAD was identified as a novel CIPC-binding protein. • CIPC might regulate the activity and translocation of CAD in the cells.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

NS1-binding protein abrogates the elevation of cell viability by the influenza A virus NS1 protein in association with CRKL

Highlights: •NS1 induced excessive phosphorylation of ERK and elevated cell viability. •NS1-BP expression and CRKL knockdown abolished survival effect of NS1. •NS1-BP and NS1 formed the complex through the interaction with CRKL-SH3(N). -- Abstract: The influenza A virus non-structural protein 1 (NS1) is a multifunctional virulence factor consisting of an RNA binding domain and several Src-homology (SH) 2 and SH3 binding motifs, which promotes virus replication in the host cell and helps to evade antiviral immunity. NS1 modulates general host cell physiology in association with various cellular molecules including NS1-binding protein (NS1-BP) and signaling adapter protein CRK-like (CRKL), while the physiological role of NS1-BP during influenza A virus infection especially in association with NS1 remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed the intracellular association of NS1-BP, NS1 and CRKL to elucidate the physiological roles of these molecules in the host cell. In HEK293T cells, enforced expression of NS1 of A/Beijing (H1N1) and A/Indonesia (H5N1) significantly induced excessive phosphorylation of ERK and elevated cell viability, while the over-expression of NS1-BP and the abrogation of CRKL using siRNA abolished such survival effect of NS1. The pull-down assay using GST-fusion CRKL revealed the formation of intracellular complexes of NS1-BP, NS1 and CRKL. In addition, we identified that the N-terminus SH3 domain of CRKL was essential for binding to NS1-BP using GST-fusion CRKL-truncate mutants. This is the first report to elucidate the novel function of NS1-BP collaborating with viral protein NS1 in modulation of host cell physiology. In addition, an alternative role of adaptor protein CRKL in association with NS1 and NS1-BP during influenza A virus infection is demonstrated.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

3D Printed Multifunctional, Hyperelastic Silicone Rubber Foam

Highly elastic silicone foams, especially those with tunable properties and multifunctionality, are of great interest in numerous fields. However, the liquid nature of silicone precursors and the complicated foaming process hinder the realization of its three-dimensional (3D) printability. Herein, a series of silicone foams with outstanding performance with regards to elasticity, wetting and sensing properties, multifunctionality, and tunability is generated by direct ink writing. Viscoelastic inks are achieved from direct dispersion of sodium chloride in a unique silicone precursor solution. The 3D-architectured silicone rubber exhibits open-celled trimodal porosity, which offers ultraelasticity with hyper compressibility/cycling endurance (near-zero stress/strain loss under 90% compression or 1000 compression cycles), excellent stretchability (210% strain), and superhydrophobicity. The resulting foam is demonstrated to be multifunctional, such that it can work as an oil sorbent with super capacity (1320%) and customizable soft sensor after absorption of carbon nanotubes on the foam surface. The strategy enables tunability of mechanical strength, elasticity, stretchability, and absorbing capacity, while printing different materials together offers property gradients as an extra dimension of tunability. Finally, the first 3D printed silicone foam, which serves an important step toward its application expansion, is achieved.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Locally Engineering and Interrogating the Photoelectrochemical Behavior of Defects in Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are attractive materials for a variety of applications in solar energy conversion and electrocatalysis, due to their favorable optical and electrical properties and their unique two-dimensional structures which facilitate the fabrication of wide-area, ultrathin layers. Unfortunately, the basal planes which make up the majority of these materials are relatively inert, and thus a great deal of effort has been directed to engineering favorable, catalytically active defects into these materials. In this paper, we demonstrate how probe-based electrochemical techniques can be employed as multifunctional tools for locally modifying TMD materials and probing the electrochemical behavior of the resulting defects. Scanning Electrochemical Cell Microscopy (SECCM) was employed to locally anodize exfoliated p-type WSe 2 nanosheets, creating hole-like defects within individual basal planes in a highly controllable fashion. Photoelectrochemical SECCM imaging was then employed to characterize the chemical behavior of these engineered defects, revealing significantly enhanced activity toward the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER). Atomic force microscopy studies are presented which suggest these enhancements result from an increased density of monolayer-high step features within the anodized defects. Analysis of the SECCM data in the context of finite element simulations revealed that these enhancements increased with increasing anodization time, with local kinetic rates over 2 orders of magnitude higher than unaltered basal planes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Multi-scale Dynamics of Water Regulation by Bacteria in Synthetic Soil Microsystems (Final Technical Report)

The objective of this project was to develop a multifunctional in situ platform to link gene expression, regulation, and function with the spatiotemporal context of the whole cell environment. In particular, we focus on a synthetic rhizosphere microhabitat and spatial regulation of genes encoding production of exopolysaccharides, or EPS. We have fully met this objective and report results that support the hypothesis: microbial EPS production, acting at pore throats, limits water evaporation and promotes resilience of terrestrial soil systems.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Improvement of Li-S battery electrochemical performance with 2D TiS 2 additive

As a multifunctional cathode additive, TiS 2 has been used in Li-S batteries to promote sulfur utilization and improve cell cycle life. The improvement of Li-S cell electrochemical performance in the presence of TiS 2 has been attributed to the ability of TiS 2 in adsorbing polysulfide. To maximize the interaction between polysulfides and TiS 2 , the 2-dimensional (2D) TiS 2 nano-sheets with highly exposed TiS 2 surface area has been successfully synthesized by a two-step sonication synthetic procedure. The 2D TiS 2 particles are micron size in the basal plane direction and are nano-sized along the c-axis direction. 2D TiS 2 nano-sheets may adsorb polysulfides more effectively than the raw TiS 2 powder. Li-S cells with 2D TiS 2 nano-sheets additive exhibit better discharge rate capability and significantly reduced capacity-fading after a long term cell cycling. Here, this improvement can be partially attributed to the uniform distribution of 2D TiS 2 nano-sheets particles within the sulfur cathode matrix, which induces more uniform sulfur and lithium sulfide deposition during the cell charge and discharge.

2D TiS2 nano-sheets↗

Up-regulation of caveolin-1 by DJ-1 attenuates rat pulmonary arterial hypertension by inhibiting TGFβ/Smad signaling pathway

Highlights: • Knockout of DJ-1-aggravated hypoxic pulmonary arterial hypertension of rats. • Overexpression of DJ-1 alleviated PASMs injury induced by hypoxia. • DJ-1 alleviated hypoxia-induced PASMCs injury via Cav-1 by inhibiting TGFβ/Smad. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), characterized by excessive proliferation and apoptosis resistance of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), is closely associated with the imbalance in vasoactive mediators and massive remodeling of pulmonary vasculature. DJ-1/park7, a multifunctional protein, plays a critical defense role in several cytobiological activity, such as transcriptional regulation, anti-oxidative stress and tumor formation. In this study, we investigated the effects of DJ-1 on hypoxia-induced PAH model rats and PASMCs, as well as its possible molecular mechanism. First, the low expressions of DJ-1 and caveolin-1 (Cav-1) were synchronously detected in lung tissue of PAH model rats and hypoxia-induced PASMCs by Western blot. Then, the DJ-1 wild type (WT) or Knock out (KO) rats were exposed to chronic hypoxia to mimic a hypoxic PAH condition. The protein level of Cav-1 was markedly decreased in the tissue of DJ-1 KO rats, and additionally lower in tissue of the hypoxia group than that in the normoxia group for DJ-1 WT and KO rats. In vivo, hemodynamic data showed that the pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), right ventricle systolic pressure (RVSP) and pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP), as well as the weight of the right ventricle/left ventricle plus septum (RV/LV+S) ratio of PAH model rats were higher in the DJ-1 KO group than those in the DJ-1 WT group. Moreover, knockout of DJ-1 also results in the phenotype switch from contractile to synthetic PASMC, which is reflected by reduced calponin and SM22α expressions. In vitro, DJ-1 overexpression reversed hypoxia-induced elevation of PASMC cell proliferation, migration and Ca{sup 2+} concentration, which were not obviously observed in Cav-1 shRNA (sh-Cav-1) and DJ-1 co-transfected cells. Then the increased levels of calponin and SM22α were detected in the DJ-1 group; similarly those levels were not changed in the DJ-1+sh-Cav-1 group. Finally, the expression of TGFβ1, p-Smad2 and p-Smad3 were obviously decreased in the ad-DJ-1 group, however those were all elevated in the DJ-1 and sh-Cav-1 co-transfected groups. In conclusion, these results indicate that DJ-1 may alleviate hypoxia-induced PASMCs injury by Cav-1 through inhibiting the TGFβ/Smad signaling pathway.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Origin for electrochemically driven phase transformation in the oxygen electrode for a solid oxide cell

The next generation of fuel cells, electrolyzers, and batteries requires higher power, faster kinetics, and larger energy density, which necessitate the use of compositionally complex oxides to achieve multifunctionalities and activity. These compositionally complex oxides may change their phases and structures during an electrochemical process—a so-called “electrochemically driven phase transformation.” The origin for such a phase change has remained obscure. The aim of this paper is to present an experimental study and a theoretical analysis of phase evolution in praseodymium nickelates. Nickelate-based electrodes show up to 60 times greater phase transformation during operation when compared with thermally annealed ones. Theoretical analysis suggests that the presence of a reduced oxygen partial pressure at the interface between the oxygen electrode and the electrolyte is the origin for the phase change in an oxygen electrode. Guided by the theory, the addition of the electronic conduction in the interface layer leads to the significant suppression of phase change while improving cell performance and performance stability.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Multifunctional Deployment Hinges Rigidified by Ultraviolet

Multifunctional hinges have been developed for deploying and electrically connecting panels comprising planar arrays of thin-film solar photovoltaic cells. In the original intended application of these hinges, the panels would be facets of a 32-sided (and approximately spherical) polyhedral microsatellite (see figure), denoted a PowerSphere, that would be delivered to orbit in a compact folded configuration, then deployed by expansion of gas in inflation bladders. Once deployment was complete, the hinges would be rigidified to provide structural connections that would hold the panels in their assigned relative positions without backlash. Such hinges could also be used on Earth for electrically connecting and structurally supporting solar panels that are similarly shipped in compact form and deployed at their destinations. As shown in section A-A in the figure, a hinge of this type is partly integrated with an inflation bladder and partly integrated with the frame of a solar panel. During assembly of the hinge, strip extensions from a flexible circuit harness on the bladder are connected to corresponding thin-film conductors on the solar panel by use of laser welding and wrap-around contacts. The main structural component of the hinge is a layer of glass fiber impregnated with an ultraviolet-curable resin. After deployment, exposure to ultraviolet light from the Sun cures the resin, thereby rigidifying the hinge.

Kerslake, Thomas W.↗

Multifunctional Optoelectronic-Spintronic Device Based on Hybrid Organometal Trihalide Perovskites

A novel “hybrid” optoelectronic–spintronic (O-S) device that contains an organometal trihalide perovskite (OTP)-based solar cell or light-emitting diode coupled to an inorganic spin valve is presented. The synergy between the OTP and spin valve components results in two new functionalities: nonlinear magnetophotoconductivity and hysteretic magnetoelectroluminescence.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗