Controlling structures of battery electrodes

Manufacturing an electrode by forming an electrode structure on a grounded conductive substrate and applying a voltage across the electrode structure to generate an electric field through the electrode structure to arrange the dipolar particles within the electrode structure

Distributed energy storage system

An energy storage system reaction cell configured for distribution throughout a transport system. The length of the reaction cell is substantially greater than its width and is looped throughout the transport system in a serpentine configuration. A membrane within the reaction cell has a length substantially equal to the length of the reaction cell such that surface area of the membrane is maximized relative to volume of the reaction cell to increase electrical power provided to an electrical load of the transport system

Instability of electrowetting on a dielectric substrate

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98707/1/JApplPhys_109_034309.pd

Introducing Murine Microbiome Database (MMDB): A Curated Database with Taxonomic Profiling of the Healthy Mouse Gastrointestinal Microbiome

The gut microbiota modulates overall metabolism, the immune system and brain development of the host. The majority of mammalian gut microbiota consists of bacteria. Among various model animals, the mouse has been most widely used in pre-clinical biological experiments. The significant compositional differences in taxonomic profiles among different mouse strains due to gastrointestinal locations, genotypes and vendors have been well documented. However, details of such variations are yet to be elucidated. This study compiled and analyzed 16S rRNA gene-based taxonomic profiles of 554 healthy mouse samples from 14 different projects to construct a comprehensive database of the microbiome of a healthy mouse gastrointestinal tract. The database, named Murine Microbiome Database, should provide researchers with useful taxonomic information and better biological insight about how each taxon, such as genus and species, is associated with locations in the gastrointestinal tract, genotypes and vendors. The database is freely accessible over the Internet.

Ionic and Electronic Conductivities of Atomic Layer Deposition Thin Film Coated Lithium Ion Battery Cathode Particles

It is imperative to ascertain the ionic and electronic components of the total conductivity of an electrochemically active material. A blocking technique, called the “Hebb-Wagner method”, is normally used to explain the two components (ionic and electronic) of a mixed conductor, in combination with the complex ac impedance method and dc polarization measurements. CeO2 atomic layer deposition (ALD)-coated and uncoated, LiMn2O4 (LMO) and LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 (LMNO) powders were pressed into pellets and then painted with silver to act as a blocking electrode. The electronic conductivities were derived from the currents obtained using the dc chronoamperometry mode. The ionic conductivities were calculated based on results of the electronic conductivities and the mixed conductivities obtained using the ac impedance method. The results showed that the ionic conductivities of the LMO and LMNO particles coated with CeO2 thin films were twice as much as those of the uncoated LMO and LMNO particles. Also, LMO particles coated with insulating materials, such as alumina and zirconia ALD films, were tested and compared. No significant effects of the substrates on the ionic conductivities of the coated and uncoated samples were noticed, although the electronic conductivities of the LMO samples were found to be higher than those of the LMNO samples. Indeed, the ionic conductivity of the CeO2 films and the optimal film thickness achieved by ALD helped overcome the trade-off between long cycle-life and the reduced initial capacity fade of the LMO when used as a cathode in lithium ion batteries

Glass-Based Biodegradable Pressure Sensor toward Biomechanical Monitoring with a Controllable Lifetime

A New Class of Potentially Implantable Solid-State Sensors is Demonstrated Utilizing Biodegradable Glass as the Main Structural Material. the Device Behavior is Manipulated Via Chemical Decomposition, and Then Physically Disintegrated in a Controlled Manner. It is based on the Capacitive Sensing Mechanism, Comprising an Elastic Insulator between Two Borate-Rich Glass Substrates. This Mesoscale Pressure Sensor is Characterized by a Range of Pressure of Up to 14 MPa in a Phosphate Buffer Solution Environment. the Sensor Exhibits Good Sensitivity and Reversibility Responding to Compressive Pressures and Remains Fully Functional Before a Desired, Sudden Failure Caused by Dissolution. the Operational Lifetime Can Be Modified by Altering the Chemical Composition or Thickness of the Biodegradable Glass Component. the Proposed Device Concept is a Viable Option toward Various Temporary Implantable Devices Without Needing an Additional Surgical Procedure to Remove Them after their Duty

Ultra-Thin Coating and Three-Dimensional Electrode Structures to Boosted Thick Electrode Lithium-Ion Battery Performance

This paper reports a multiscale controlled three‐dimensional (3D) electrode structure to boost the battery performance for thick electrode batteries with LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 as cathode material, which exhibits a high areal capacity (3.5 mAh/cm2) along with a high specific capacity (130 mAh/g). This excellent battery performance is achieved by a new concept of cell electrode fabrication, which simultaneously controls the electrode structure in a multiscale manner to address the key challenges of the material. Particles with ultrathin conformal coating layers are prepared through atomic layer deposition followed by a nanoscale‐controlled, thermal diffusion doping. The particles are organized into a macroscale‐controlled 3D hybrid‐structure. This synergistic control of nano‐/macro‐structures is a promising concept for enhancing battery performance and its cycle life. The nanoscale coating/doping provides enhanced fundamental properties, including transport and structural properties, while the mesoscale control can provide a better network of the nanostructured elements by decreasing the diffusion path between. Electrochemical tests have shown that the synergistically controlled electrode exhibits the best performance among non‐controlled and selectively‐controlled samples, in terms of specific capacity, areal capacity, and cycle life