28 research outputs found
Interfacial Chemistry in Solid-State Batteries: Formation of Interphase and Its Consequences
Benefiting
from extremely high shear modulus and high ionic transference
number, solid electrolytes are promising candidates to address both
the dendrite-growth and electrolyte-consumption problems inherent
to the widely adopted liquid-phase electrolyte batteries. However,
solid electrolyte/electrode interfaces present high resistance and
complicated morphology, hampering the development of solid-state battery
systems, while requiring advanced analysis for rational improvement.
Here, we employ an ultrasensitive three-dimensional (3D) chemical
analysis to uncover the dynamic formation of interphases at the solid
electrolyte/electrode interface. While the formation of interphases
widens the electrochemical window, their electronic and ionic conductivities
determine the electrochemical performance and have a large influence
on dendrite growth. Our results suggest that, contrary to the general
understanding, highly stable solid electrolytes with metal anodes
in fact promote fast dendritic formation, as a result of less Li consumption
and much larger curvature of dendrite tips that leads to an enhanced
electric driving force. Detailed thermodynamic analysis shows an interphase
with low electronic conductivity, high ionic conductivity, and chemical
stability, yet having a dynamic thickness and uniform coverage is
needed to prevent dendrite growth. This work provides a paradigm for
interphase design to address the dendrite challenge, paving the way
for the development of robust, fully operational solid-state batteries
YāDoped NASICON-type LiZr<sub>2</sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub> Solid Electrolytes for Lithium-Metal Batteries
Low ionic conductivity limits the
development of NASICON-type LiZr<sub>2</sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub> (LZP) for solid-state batteries.
Here, we present the possible factors that may affect the conductivity
and further establish the relationships among conductivity, crystal
structure, relative density, grain size, chemical composition, and
elemental distribution. The conditions for the existence of the four
phases of LZP (Ī±, Ī±ā², Ī², and Ī²ā²)
and the phase transition processes among them are systematically clarified.
With secondary ion mass spectrometry, the spatial distribution of
elements within the grains and grain boundaries is clearly presented.
On the basis of our results, proper elemental doping, high sintering
temperature, and especially fast cool down rate are all indispensable
to stabilize the high-conductivity (Ī±) phase at room temperature.
Finally, we demonstrate the feasibility of lithium-based batteries
with this LZP solid electrolyte and commercial cathodes. This work
provides insights for preparing LZP with high conductivity and paves
the way for the development of solid-state batteries
Interfacial Chemistry in Solid-State Batteries: Formation of Interphase and Its Consequences
Benefiting
from extremely high shear modulus and high ionic transference
number, solid electrolytes are promising candidates to address both
the dendrite-growth and electrolyte-consumption problems inherent
to the widely adopted liquid-phase electrolyte batteries. However,
solid electrolyte/electrode interfaces present high resistance and
complicated morphology, hampering the development of solid-state battery
systems, while requiring advanced analysis for rational improvement.
Here, we employ an ultrasensitive three-dimensional (3D) chemical
analysis to uncover the dynamic formation of interphases at the solid
electrolyte/electrode interface. While the formation of interphases
widens the electrochemical window, their electronic and ionic conductivities
determine the electrochemical performance and have a large influence
on dendrite growth. Our results suggest that, contrary to the general
understanding, highly stable solid electrolytes with metal anodes
in fact promote fast dendritic formation, as a result of less Li consumption
and much larger curvature of dendrite tips that leads to an enhanced
electric driving force. Detailed thermodynamic analysis shows an interphase
with low electronic conductivity, high ionic conductivity, and chemical
stability, yet having a dynamic thickness and uniform coverage is
needed to prevent dendrite growth. This work provides a paradigm for
interphase design to address the dendrite challenge, paving the way
for the development of robust, fully operational solid-state batteries
Durability of the Li<sub>1+<i>x</i></sub>Ti<sub>2ā<i>x</i></sub>Al<sub><i>x</i></sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub> Solid Electrolyte in LithiumāSulfur Batteries
Adoption of cells
with a solid-state electrolyte is a promising
solution for eliminating the polysulfide shuttle problem in LiāS
batteries. Among the various known lithium-ion conducting solid electrolytes,
the sodium superionic conductor (NASICON)-type Li<sub>1+<i>x</i></sub>Ti<sub>2ā<i>x</i></sub>Al<sub><i>x</i></sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub> offers the advantage of good stability
under ambient conditions and in contact with air. Accordingly, we
present here a comprehensive assessment of the durability of Li<sub>1+<i>x</i></sub>Ti<sub>2ā<i>x</i></sub>Al<sub><i>x</i></sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub> in contact
with polysulfide solution and in LiāS cells. Because of its
high reduction potential (2.5 V vs Li/Li<sup>+</sup>), Li<sub>1+<i>x</i></sub>Ti<sub>2ā<i>x</i></sub>Al<sub><i>x</i></sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub> gets lithiated in contact
with lithium polysulfide solution and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> is formed on the particle surface, blocking the interfacial lithium-ion
transport between the liquid and solid-state electrolytes. After the
lithium insertion into the NASICON framework, the crystal expands
in an anisotropic way, weakening the crystal bonds, causing fissures
and resultant cracks in the ceramic, corroding the grain boundaries
by polysulfide solution, and leaving unfavorable pores. The assembly
of pores creates a gateway for polysulfide diffusion from the cathode
side to the anode side, causing an abrupt decline in cell performance.
Therefore, the solid-state electrolytes need to have good chemical
compatibility with both the electrode and electrolyte, long-term stability
under harsh chemical environment, and highly stable grain boundaries
Polyester with Pendent Acetylcholine-Mimicking Functionalities Promotes Neurite Growth
Successful regeneration
of nerves can benefit from biomaterials
that provide a supportive biochemical and mechanical environment while
also degrading with controlled inflammation and minimal scar formation.
Herein, we report a neuroactive polymer functionalized by covalent
attachment of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Ach). The polymer
was readily synthesized in two steps from polyĀ(sebacoyl diglyceride)
(PSeD), which previously demonstrated biocompatibility and biodegradation
in vivo. Distinct from prior acetylcholine-biomimetic polymers, PSeD-Ach
contains both quaternary ammonium and free acetyl moieties, closely
resembling native acetylcholine structure. The polymer structure was
confirmed via <sup>1</sup>H nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier-transform
infrared spectroscopy. Hydrophilicity, charge, and thermal properties
of PSeD-Ach were determined by tensiometer, zetasizer, differential
scanning calorimetry, and thermal gravimetric analysis, respectively.
PC12 cells exhibited the greatest proliferation and neurite outgrowth
on PSeD-Ach and laminin substrates, with no significant difference
between these groups. PSeD-Ach yielded much longer neurite outgrowth
than the control polymer containing ammonium but no the acetyl group,
confirming the importance of the entire acetylcholine-like moiety.
Furthermore, PSeD-Ach supports adhesion of primary rat dorsal root
ganglions and subsequent neurite sprouting and extension. The sprouting
rate is comparable to the best conditions from previous report. Our
findings are significant in that they were obtained with acetylcholine-like
functionalities in 100% repeating units, a condition shown to yield
significant toxicity in prior publications. Moreover, PSeD-Ach exhibited
favorable mechanical and degradation properties for nerve tissue engineering
application. Humidified PSeD-Ach had an elastic modulus of 76.9 kPa,
close to native neural tissue, and could well recover from cyclic
dynamic compression. PSeD-Ach showed a gradual in vitro degradation
under physiologic conditions with a mass loss of 60% within 4 weeks.
Overall, this simple and versatile synthesis provides a useful tool
to produce biomaterials for creating the appropriate stimulatory environment
for nerve regeneration
Understanding the Redox Obstacles in High Sulfur-Loading LiāS Batteries and Design of an Advanced Gel Cathode
Lithiumāsulfur batteries with
a high energy density are
being considered a promising candidate for next-generation energy
storage. However, realization of LiāS batteries is plagued
by poor sulfur utilization due to the shuttle of intermediate lithiation
products between electrodes and its dynamic redistribution. To optimize
the sulfur utilization, an understanding of its redox behavior is
essential. Herein, we report a gel cathode consisting of a polysulfide-impregnated
O- and N-doped porous carbon and an independent, continuous, and highly
conducting 3-dimensional graphite film as the charge-transfer network.
This design decouples the function of electron conduction and polysulfide
absorption, which is beneficial for understanding the sulfur redox
behavior and identifying the dominant factors leading to cell failure
when the cells have high sulfur content and insufficient electrolyte.
This design also opens up new prospects of tuning the properties of
LiāS batteries via separately designing the material functions
of electron conduction and polysulfide absorption
Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Detection of Pesticide Residues Using Transparent Adhesive Tapes and Coated Silver Nanorods
The efficient extraction of analytes
from complex and severe environments is significant for promoting
the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique to actual applications.
In this paper, a proof-of-concept strategy is proposed for the rapid
detection of pesticide residues by utilizing the flexible, transparent,
and adhesive properties of commercial tapes and SERS performance of
Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-coated silver nanorod (AgNR@Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) arrays. The function of tapes is to rapidly transfer
the analytes from the actual surface to the SERS substrate. The novel
ātape-wrapped SERS (T-SERS)ā approach was constructed
by a simple āpaste, peel off, and paste againā procedure.
The easily obtained but clearly distinguished SERS signals allow us
to quickly determine the constituents of complex surfaces, such as
tetramethylthiuram disulfide and thiabendazole pesticides from fruits
and vegetables, which may be practically applied to food safety, environmental
monitoring, and industrial production process controlling
Plating a Dendrite-Free Lithium Anode with a Polymer/Ceramic/Polymer Sandwich Electrolyte
A cross-linked
polymer containing pendant molecules attached to the polymer framework
is shown to form flexible and low-cost membranes, to be a solid Li<sup>+</sup> electrolyte up to 270 Ā°C, much higher than those based
on polyĀ(ethylene oxide), to be wetted by a metallic lithium anode,
and to be not decomposed by the metallic anode if the anions of the
salt are blocked by a ceramic electrolyte in a polymer/ceramic membrane/polymer
sandwich electrolyte (PCPSE). In this sandwich architecture, the double-layer
electric field at the Li/polymer interface is reduced due to the blocked
salt anion transfer. The polymer layer adheres/wets the lithium metal
surface and makes the Li-ion flux at the interface more homogeneous.
This structure integrates the advantages of the ceramic and polymer.
With the PCPSE, all-solid-state Li/LiFePO<sub>4</sub> cells showed
a notably high Coulombic efficiency of 99.8ā100% over 640 cycles
Temperature-Immune, Wide-Range Flexible Robust Pressure Sensors for Harsh Environments
Flexible pressure sensors possess vast potential for
various applications
such as new energy batteries, aerospace engines, and rescue robots
owing to their exceptional flexibility and adaptability. However,
the existing sensors face significant challenges in maintaining long-term
reliability and environmental resilience when operating in harsh environments
with variable temperatures and high pressures (ā¼MPa), mainly
due to possible mechanical mismatch and structural instability. Here,
we propose a composite scheme for a flexible piezoresistive pressure
sensor to improve its robustness by utilizing material design of near-zero
temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR), radial gradient pressure-dividing
microstructure, and flexible interface bonding process. The sensing
layer comprising multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), graphite (GP),
and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was optimized to achieve a near-zero
temperature coefficient of resistance over a temperature range of
25ā70 Ā°C, while the radial gradient microstructure layout
based on pressure division increases the range of pressure up to 2
MPa. Furthermore, a flexible interface bonding process introduces
a self-soluble transition layer by direct-writing TPU bonding solution
at the bonding interface, which enables the sensor to achieve signal
fluctuations as low as 0.6% and a high interface strength of up to
1200 kPa. Moreover, it has been further validated for its capability
of monitoring the physiological signals of athletes as well as the
long-term reliable environmental resilience of the expansion pressure
of the power cell. This work demonstrates that the proposed scheme
sheds new light on the design of robust pressure sensors for harsh
environments
Inhibition of autophagy protects against PAMAM dendrimers-induced hepatotoxicity
<p>Toxicity of nanomaterials is one of the biggest challenges in their medicinal applications. Although toxicities of nanomaterials have been widely reported, the exact mechanisms of toxicities are still not well elucidated. Consequently, the exploration of approaches to attenuate toxicities of nanomaterials is limited. In this study, we reported that poly-amidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers, a widely used nanomaterial in the pharmaceutical industry, caused toxicity of human liver cells by inducing cell growth inhibition, mitochondria damage, and apoptosis. Meanwhile, autophagy was activated in PAMAM dendrimers-induced toxicity and inhibition of autophagy-rescued viability of hepatic cells, indicating that autophagy played a key role in PAMAM dendriemrs-induced hepatotoxicity. To further explore approaches to attenuate PAMAM dendrimers-induced liver injury, effects of autophagic inhibitors on PAMAM dendrimersā hepatotoxicity were investigated in an <i>in vivo</i> model. Autophagy blockage in PAMAM dendrimers-administered mice led to weight restoration, damage reversion of liver tissue, and protection against changes of serum biochemistry parameters. Moreover, inhibition of Akt/mTOR and activation of Erk1/2 signaling pathways were involved in PAMAM dendrimers-induced autophagy. Collectively, these findings indicated that autophagy was associated with PAMAM dendrimers-induced hepatotoxicity, and supported the possibility that autophagy inhibitors could be used to reduce hepatotoxicity of PAMAM dendrimers.</p