Electrochemical performance of a lead fluoride electrode mixed with carbon in an electrolyte containing triphenylboroxine as an anion acceptor for fluoride shuttle batteries

In fluoride shuttle batteries (FSBs), the addition of an anion acceptor (AA) is required to dissolve the supporting electrolyte salt in an organic solvent. Based on theoretical calculations and practical experiments, the effectiveness of triphenylboroxine (TPhBX) as an AA for FSB was verified. Using an electrolyte with TPhBX as an AA, the specific capacities of the following two types of lead fluoride (PbF₂) electrodes were evaluated: (i) PbF₂ pulverized using a ball mill, (ii) pulverized PbF₂ mixed with carbon using a ball mill. The experimental results indicate that mixing PbF₂ with carbon using a ball mill increases the specific capacity of PbF₂ electrode

Electrochemical properties of lead fluoride electrode in fluoride shuttle battery

Recently, the reversible discharge and charge reaction of BiF₃ electrode for fluoride shuttle battery (FSB) that can be used as a promising candidate for next-generation battery are observed using a liquid-based electrolyte. In this study, we investigate the electrochemical performance of PbF₂ as an active material for the FSB. To increase the electronic conductivity, the PbF₂ was mixed with carbon, and the composite material between PbF₂ and carbon, PbF₂/C, is formed. High discharge and charge capacities are obtained for PbF₂/C during the first cycle. Although the discharge and charge capacities gradually decreased, the discharge and charge reactions occurred in the second and third cycles. To confirm the progress of the discharge and charge reactions, the crystal structure change of the active material during discharging and charging in the first and second cycles is evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD). From the XRD results, the formation of Pb and PbF₂ during discharging and charging can be confirmed, indicating that the discharge (PbF₂ + 2e− → Pb + 2F−) and charge (Pb + 2F− → PbF₂ + 2e−) reactions progress in both the first and second cycles

Improved electrochemical performances in a bismuth fluoride electrode prepared using a high energy ball mill with carbon for fluoride shuttle batteries

Bismuth fluoride (BiF₃) is a promising positive electrode material for fluoride shuttle batteries (FSBs) owing to its high theoretical specific capacity (302 mA h g⁻¹). However, it exhibits low practical capacity. The methods for preparing the electrode are known to have significant effects on battery performance. The mixture between BiF₃ and carbon, BiF₃/C, prepared by high energy ball milling method has been already approved in lithium ion batteries. With this method, a significant improvement over the discharge and charge capacities of the BiF₃/C electrode has been achieved. In this work, for the first time, BiF₃/C electrode has been used for FSB. Using BiF₃/C electrode significantly increased the discharge and charge capacities. To confirm the progress of the discharge and charge reactions of BiF3/C electrode, the crystal structure of active materials and oxidation state of Bi for the BiF₃/C electrode during discharging and charging has been investigated by X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption fine structure. The results reveal that, with higher capacity values, discharge and charge reactions related to BiF₃/C have been realized

The effects of the herbal medicine Daikenchuto (TJ-100) after esophageal cancer resection, open-label, randomized controlled trial

Background Daikenchuto (TJ-100), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, is widely used in Japan. Its effects on gastrointestinal motility and microcirculation and its anti-inflammatory effect are known. The purpose of this prospective randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effect of TJ-100 after esophagectomy in esophageal cancer patients. Methods Forty patients for whom subtotal esophageal resection for esophageal cancer was planned at our institute from March 2011 to August 2013 were enrolled and divided into two groups at the point of determination of the operation schedule after informed consent was obtained: a TJ-100 (15 g/day)-treated group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). The primary efficacy end-points were maintenance of the nutrition condition and the recovery of gastrointestinal function. The secondary efficacy end-points were the serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level and adrenomedullin level during the postoperative course, the incidence of postoperative complications, and the length of hospital stay after surgery. Results We examined 39 patients because one patient in the TJ-100 group was judged as having unresectable cancer after surgery. The mean age of the TJ-100 group patients was significantly older than that of the control group patients.The rate of body weight decrease at postoperative day 21 was significantly suppressed in the TJ-100 group (3.6% vs. the control group: 7.0%, p = 0.014), but the serum albumin level was not significantly different between the groups. The recovery of gastrointestinal function regarding flatus, defecation, and oral intake showed no significant between-group differences, but postoperative bowel symptoms tended to be rare in the TJ-100 group. There was no significant between-group difference in the length of hospital stay after surgery. The serum CRP level at postoperative day 3 was 4.9 mg/dl in the TJ-100 group and 6.9 mg/dl in the control group, showing a tendency of a suppressed serum CRP level in the TJ-100 group (p = 0.126). The rate of increase in adrenomedullin tended to be high postoperatively, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusions TJ-100 treatment after esophageal cancer resection has the effects of prompting the recovery of gastrointestinal motility and minimizing body weight loss, and it might suppress the excess inflammatory reaction related to surgery

Triphenylboroxine and Triphenylborane as Anion Acceptors for Electrolyte in Fluoride Shuttle Batteries

For liquid-based fluoride shuttle batteries, electrolyte composed of organic solvent and supporting electrolyte salt is developed. To increase the solubility of supporting electrolyte salt in organic solvent, anion acceptors (triphenylboroxine or triphenylborane) are added. The addition of anion acceptor greatly increases the solubility of supporting electrolyte salt, and discharge-charge reaction of BiF₃ electrode is confirmed in the prepared electrolytes. A supporting electrolyte salt (Cesium fluoride (CsF)) dissolves sparingly in an organic solvent (bis[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl]ether (tetraglyme: G4)); however, the solubility of the CsF in the G4 is greatly increased by addition of an anion acceptor (triphenylboroxine or triphenylborane). Using the developed electrolyte for fluoride shuttle battery, discharge and charge reactions of a metal fluoride electrode can be progressed

Charge and Discharge Reactions of a Lead Fluoride Electrode in a Liquid‐Based Electrolyte for Fluoride Shuttle Batteries:‐The Role of Triphenylborane as an Anion Acceptor‐

This article also appears in: Electro, Physical & Theoretical ChemistryLead fluoride (PbF₂) is a promising electrode material for fluoride shuttle batteries (FSBs) owing to its high theoretical capacity (219 mAh g⁻¹). In this study, the discharge and charge capacities of a PbF₂ electrode were measured using a bis[2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy)ethyl] ether containing cesium fluoride and triphenylborane as an electrolyte. A high specific capacity was maintained during both the discharge and charge processes in the first cycle, but the capacity decreased from the first charge process to the following discharge process. To clarify the electrochemical reaction mechanism, the dissolution and change in the electronic state of Pb at the PbF2 electrode during the discharge and charge processes were evaluated via atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results obtained from AAS and XPS indicated that Pb was formed during the discharge process. Conversely, the formation of PbF₂ and dissolution of Pb coexisted within the wide range of charge process. The PbF₂ could react in the following cycle, but the dissolved Pb was unable to contribute to the following discharge/charge reaction. Therefore, after the initial charge process, the capacity decreased

Difference of rate performance between discharge and charge reactions for bismuth fluoride electrode in lithium-ion battery

The conversion-based BiF₃ is a promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity (302 mAh g⁻¹). Nanocomposites of BiF₃ and carbon (BiF₃/C) are known to improve the electrochemical performance by increasing the electronic conductivity of the electrode. Here we investigate the electrochemical performance of BiF3/C at high C-rates. In particular, we newly investigate the difference of high C-rate performance between discharge and charge reactions. The discharge and charge capacities in the first cycle were almost the same at 0.1 C. In contrast, the discharge capacity was higher than charge capacity at 10 C. Further, during cycling at 10 C, the charge capacity drastically decreased, but the discharge capacity remained high. The rate performance of the discharge reaction was higher than that of the charge reaction, especially after cycling

Influence of Electrolyte Composition on the Electrochemical Reaction Mechanism of Bismuth Fluoride Electrode in Fluoride Shuttle Battery

Fluoride shuttle battery (FSB) is a promising next-generation battery candidate. In the FSB, metal fluoride and organic solvent containing supporting electrolyte salt and anion acceptor were used as active material and electrolyte. In this study, using bis[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl] ether (tetraglyme: G4) containing cesium fluoride (CsF; 0.45 mol dm⁻³ or saturated) and triphenylboroxine (TPhBX; 0.50 mol dm⁻³) as electrolyte (CsF(0.45)–TPhBX(0.50)–G4 and CsF(sat.)–TPhBX(0.50)–G4), the electrochemical performance of bismuth fluoride (BiF₃) was assessed. Although the discharge and charge reactions of BiF₃ electrode proceeded in both electrolytes, the cycling performance of BiF₃ electrode in CsF(0.45)–TPhBX(0.50)–G4 was poorer than that in CsF(sat.)–TPhBX(0.50)–G4. The cause of differences in the electrochemical properties was investigated using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The AAS results indicate that the poor cycling performance with CsF(0.45)–TPhBX(0.50)–G4 was due to the dissolution of active material during charging. The XPS and cross-sectional SEM/EDX results indicate that the formation state of Bi, and the progress of electrolyte decomposition during discharging were affected by the CsF/TPhBX ratio in the electrolyte

Virulence of tick-borne encephalitis virus is associated with intact conformational viral RNA structures in the variable region of the 3'-UTR

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is maintained between ticks and mammals in nature and causes severe neurological disease in human. However, the mechanism of viral pathogenicity is unknown. Previously, we showed that the deletion in the variable region of the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) is involved in the pathogenicity of the strains from the Far-Eastern subtype of TBEV. To investigate the detailed function of the variable region, we constructed recombinant TBEV with partial deletions in the region. In a mouse model, the partial deletions drastically increased the virulence of the virus, with no effect on virus multiplication in mouse brain. Furthermore, the mutations did not affect the production of subgenomic flavivirus RNA from the 3'-UTR, and the induction of iriterferon (IFN) and IFN-stimulated genes. These data suggested that the conformational structure of the variable region is associated with the pathogenicity of the Far-Eastern subtype of TBEV. These findings provide a foundation for further research to identify the pathogenic mechanisms of TBEV. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved