Revisiting Pulse-Based OCV Incremental Capacity Analysis for Diagnostics of Li-Ion Batteries

This paper presents the concept of applying incremental capacity analysis (ICA) on the OCV curve in the SoC space. The OCV curve can be obtained from any sequence of discharge or charge current or power pulse with a necessary rest period to allow the cell to reach a pseudo-OCV after each pulse. With a high resolution (>100 pulses) in the full SoC window, an OCV-vs.-SoC curve can be obtained with sufficient accuracy to perform an ICA on the obtained OCV curve. ICA as a diagnostic technique has commonly been applied on Li-ion cells with constant charge and discharge at slow currents. However, a slow controlled constant current charge or discharge is normally not feasible and cannot be easily applied to a battery in an application. Here, we revisit pulse-based ICA to supplement the conventional constant-current-based technique. Based on actual ageing data, we show that ICA performed on a selection of high-resolution OCV curves is comparable or better than conventional ICA with constant current. The main advantage of OCV-ICA is that it can be applied to most cells and systems without a significant interruption of normal cell operation. OCV-ICA can provide valuable insights into ageing mechanisms as well as, e.g., detailed information on changes in internal resistance.Revisiting Pulse-Based OCV Incremental Capacity Analysis for Diagnostics of Li-Ion BatteriespublishedVersio

On the Systems Ta-Co-B and Nb-Co-B

Der Aufbau der beiden ternären Systeme Nb-Co-B und Ta-Co-B wurde mittels verschiedener experimenteller Methoden untersucht (Licht- bzw. Elektronenmikroskopie, Röntgenpulveranalyse, Einkristallstrukturanalyse, EPMA). Die Phasengleichgewichte wurden in Form eines isothermen Schnittes bei 1100°C bestimmt. Für den Co-reichen Teil des Systems (³50at%Co) wurde in Kombination mit Daten zur Primärkristallisation von Proben im Gusszustand (SEM, EPMA) eine Liquidus-Projektion sowie ein zugehöriges Schultz-Scheil-Diagramm erstellt. Die Verbindung {Nb,Ta}CoB mit NbCoB-Typ, weist eine Hochtemperaturmodifikation mit ZrNiAl-Typ (a=0.5953 nm, c=0.3248 nm; a=0.5926 nm, c=0.3247 nm für Nb bzw. Ta) auf, die nur in Gussproben vorzufinden war, aber durch Zugabe von Fe auf Glühtemperaturen von 1400°C stabilisiert wurde. Weiters wurde gezeigt, dass die bereits bekannte Verbindung Ta3Co4B7 (a=0.3189 nm, b=1.8333 nm, c=0.8881 nm) isotyp mit Nb3Co4B7 ist. Die Verbindungen {Nb,Ta}Co2B kristallisieren monoklin (P21/c; a = 0.9190 nm, b = 0.64263 nm, c = 0.63144 nm; b= 109.954°, für Nb), jedoch nahe einer orthorhombischen Aufstellung (Cmce, a = 0.63162 nm, b = 1.72810 nm, c = 0.64270 nm, für Nb). Substitution von Co durch Ni stabilisiert die orthorhomische Modifikation mit Re3B-Typ (Cmcm), obwohl keine homologe Verbindung im zugehörigen Ni-System bekannt ist. Die kristallographischen Zusammenhänge zwischen dem Re3B-Typ, der pseudo-orthorhombischen als auch der monoklinen Aufstellung von {Nb,Ta}Co2B wurden in Form eines Bärnighausen Schemas dargestellt. DFT Berechnungen zeigen sehr ähnliche Stabilitäten für die drei betrachteten Strukturtypen. Gitterparameter und Kristallsymmetrien der Verbindungen Nb(Co,Fe)B, {Nb,Ta}Co2B, {Nb,Ta}(Co,Ni)2B und Ta3Co4B7 wurden mittels detailierter Untersuchungen am Transmissionselektronenmikroskop bestätigt. Für die Verbindungen {Nb,Ta}Co2B, {Nb,Ta}(Co,Ni)2B und {Nb,Ta}2-xCo21+xB6 wurden Vickers Härte Messungen durchgeführt. Hierbei zeigte TaCo2B mit HV=17.6±0.9 GPa den höchsten Wert.Constitution of the ternary systems Nb-Co-B and Ta-Co-B was studied, employing optical and electron microscopy, X-ray powder, single crystal diffraction and electron probe microanalysis. Ternary phase equilibria were determined within an isothermal section at 1100°C. For the Co-rich part (³50at%Co) of the system, a liquidus surface projection and a corresponding Schulz-Scheil reaction scheme were constructed in combination with data for primary crystallization from as cast samples determined by SEM and EPMA measurements. {Nb,Ta}CoB with NbCoB-type exhibits a high temperature modification (ZrAlNi-type, a=0.5953 nm, c=0.3248 nm; a=0.5926 nm, c=0.3247 nm for Nb and Ta respectively), which was only present in as cast alloys, but found to be stabilized by the addition of Fe to annealing temperatures of 1400°C. Ta3Co4B7 (a=0.3189 nm, b=1.8333 nm, c=0.8881 nm) was proven to be isotypic with Nb3Co4B7. {Nb,Ta}Co2B was found to adopt a unique monoclinic structure type (space group P21/c; a = 0.9190 nm, b = 0.64263 nm, c = 0.63144 nm; b= 109.954°, for Nb) very close to an orthorhombic setting (Cmce, a = 0.63162 nm, b = 1.72810 nm, c = 0.64270 nm, for Nb). Substitution of Co by Ni stabilizes the orthorhombic modification with Re3B-type (Cmcm) although no homologue compound in the Ni-system was found. The crystallographic relations among the structure types of Re3B and pseudo-orthorhombic as well as {Nb,Ta}Co2B were defined in terms of a Bärnighausen scheme. DFT calculations revealed very close stabilities for the three competing structure types. Detailed transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for Nb(Co,Fe)B, {Nb,Ta}Co2B, {Nb,Ta}(Co,Ni)2B and Ta3Co4B7 confirmed lattice parameters and crystal symmetry. Vickers hardness was measured for {Nb,Ta}Co2B, {Nb,Ta}(Co,Ni)2B and {Nb,Ta}2-xCo21+xB6 revealing the highest value of hardness of HV=17.6±0.9 GPa for TaCo2B

Incremental capacity analysis (dQ/dV) as a tool for analysing the effect of ambient temperature and mechanical clamping on degradation

publishedVersio

Type II Bi 1- x W x O 1.5 + 1.5 x : a (3 + 3)-dimensional commensurate modulation that stabilizes the fast- ion conducting delta phase of bismuth oxide

The Type II phase in the Bi1 xWxO1.5 + 1.5x system is shown to have a (3 + 3)- dimensional modulated -Bi2O3-related structure, in which the modulation vector " ‘locks in’ to a commensurate value of 1/3. The structure was refined in a 3 3 3 supercell against single-crystal Laue neutron diffraction data. Ab initio calculations were used to test and optimize the local structure of the oxygen sublattice around a single mixed Bi/W site. The underlying crystal chemistry was shown to be essentially the same as for the recently refined (3 + 3)-dimensional modulated structure of Type II Bi1 xNbxO1.5 + x (Ling et al., 2013), based on a transition from fluorite-type to pyrochlore-type via the appearance of W4O18 ‘tetrahedra of octahedra’ and chains of corner-sharing WO6 octahedra along h110iF directions. The full range of occupancies on this mixed Bi/W site give a hypothetical solid-solution range bounded by Bi23W4O46.5 (x = 0.148) and Bi22W5O48 (x = 0.185), consistent with previous reports and with our own synthetic and analytical results

Pseudo-ternary LiBH4-LiCl-P2S5 system as structurally disordered bulk electrolyte for all-solid-state lithium batteries

The properties of the mixed system LiBH4 LiCl P2S5 are studied with respect to all-solid-state batteries. The studied material undergoes an amorphization upon heating above 601C, accompanied with increased Li+ conductivity beneficial for battery electrolyte applications. The measured ionic conductivity is 10-3 Scm-1 at room temperature with an activation energy of 0.40(2) eV after amorphization. Structural analysis and characterization of the material suggest that BH4 groups and PS4 may belong to the same molecular structure, where Cl ions interplay to accommodate the structural unit. Thanks to its conductivity, ductility and electrochemical stability (up to 5 V, Au vs. Li+/Li), this new electrolyte is successfully tested in battery cells operated with a cathode material (layered TiS2, theo. capacity 239 mAh g-1) and Li anode resulting in 93% capacity retention (10 cycles) and notable cycling stability under the current density 12 mA g-1 (0.05C-rate) at 501C. Further advanced characterisation by means of operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction in transmission mode contributes explicitly to a better understanding of the (de)lithiation processes of solid-state battery electrodes operated at moderate temperatures

Pseudo-ternary LiBH4_{4}–LiCl–P2_{2}S5_{5} system as structurally disordered bulk electrolyte for all-solid-state lithium batteries

The properties of the mixed system LiBH$_{4}$–LiCl–P$_{2}$S$_{5}$ are studied with respect to all-solid-state batteries. The studied material undergoes an amorphization upon heating above 60 °C, accompanied with increased Li$^{+}$ conductivity beneficial for battery electrolyte applications. The measured ionic conductivity is ∼10$^{-3}$ S cm$^{-1}$ at room temperature with an activation energy of 0.40(2) eV after amorphization. Structural analysis and characterization of the material suggest that BH$_{4}$ groups and PS4 may belong to the same molecular structure, where Cl ions interplay to accommodate the structural unit. Thanks to its conductivity, ductility and electrochemical stability (up to 5 V, Au vs. Li$^{+}$/Li), this new electrolyte is successfully tested in battery cells operated with a cathode material (layered TiS$_{2}$, theo. capacity 239 mA h g$^{-1}$) and Li anode resulting in 93% capacity retention (10 cycles) and notable cycling stability under the current density ∼12 mA g$^{-1}$ (0.05C-rate) at 50 °C. Further advanced characterisation by means of operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction in transmission mode contributes explicitly to a better understanding of the (de)lithiation processes of solid-state battery electrodes operated at moderate temperatures

Prevalence and Relevance of Vitamin D Deficiency in Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients : A Pilot Study

(1) Background: Vitamin D plays an important role in many types of cancer. It was the aim of this study to analyze serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, and the association with prognostic and lifestyle factors. (2) Methods: 110 nonmetastatic breast cancer patients were included in the prospective observational “BEGYN” study at Saarland University Medical Center between September 2019 and January 2021. At the initiation visit, serum 25(OH)D levels were measured. Clinicopathological data on prognosis, nutrition, and lifestyle were extracted from data files and obtained using a questionnaire. (3) Results: Median serum 25(OH)D in breast cancer patients was 24 ng/mL (range 5–65 ng/mL), with 64.8% of patients being vitamin D deficient. 25(OH)D was higher among patients that reported the use of vitamin D supplements (43 ng/mL versus 22 ng/mL; p < 0.001), and in summer compared to other seasons (p = 0.03). Patients with moderate vitamin D deficiency were less likely to have triple negative breast cancer (p = 0.047). (4) Conclusions: Routinely measured vitamin D deficiency is common in breast cancer patients and needs to be detected and treated. However, our results do not support the hypothesis that vitamin D deficiency may be a main prognostic factor for breast cancer

Prognostication of progressive pulmonary fibrosis in connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung diseases: A cohort study

BACKGROUND: Connective tissue diseases-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) is a heterogeneous condition that impairs quality of life and is associated with premature death. Progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) has been identified as an important risk factor for poor prognosis. However, different criteria for PPF are used in clinical studies, which may complicate comparison between trials and translation of study findings into clinical practice. METHODS: This is a retrospective single center study in patients with CTD-ILD. The prognostic relevance of PPF definitions, including INBUILD, ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT 2022, and simplified progressive fibrosing (simplified PF) criteria, were examined in this cohort and validated in the other reported Dutch CTD-ILD cohort. RESULTS: A total of 230 patients with CTD-ILD were included and the median follow-up period was six (3-9) years. Mortality risk was independently associated with age (adjusted HR 1.07, p  < 0.001), smoking history (adjusted HR 1.90, p  = 0.045), extent of fibrosis on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) at baseline (adjusted HR 1.05, p  = 0.018) and baseline DLCO (adjusted HR 0.97, p  = 0.013). Patients with regular pulmonary function tests in the first 2 years (adjusted HR 0.42, p  = 0.002) had a better survival. The prognostic relevance for survival was similar between the three PPF criteria in the two cohorts. CONCLUSION: Higher age, smoking, increased extent of fibrosis and low baseline DLCO were associated with poor prognosis, while regular pulmonary function evaluation was associated with better survival. The INBUILD, ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT 2022, and simplified PF criteria revealed similar prognostication

Deciphering sources of PET signals in the tumor microenvironment of glioblastoma at cellular resolution

Various cellular sources hamper interpretation of positron emission tomography (PET) biomarkers in the tumor microenvironment (TME). We developed an approach of immunomagnetic cell sorting after in vivo radiotracer injection (scRadiotracing) with three-dimensional (3D) histology to dissect the cellular allocation of PET signals in the TME. In mice with implanted glioblastoma, translocator protein (TSPO) radiotracer uptake per tumor cell was higher compared to tumor-associated microglia/macrophages (TAMs), validated by protein levels. Translation of in vitro scRadiotracing to patients with glioma immediately after tumor resection confirmed higher single-cell TSPO tracer uptake of tumor cells compared to immune cells. Across species, cellular radiotracer uptake explained the heterogeneity of individual TSPO-PET signals. In consideration of cellular tracer uptake and cell type abundance, tumor cells were the main contributor to TSPO enrichment in glioblastoma;however, proteomics identified potential PET targets highly specific for TAMs. Combining cellular tracer uptake measures with 3D histology facilitates precise allocation of PET signals and serves to validate emerging novel TAM-specific radioligands

Co-located wind and wave energy farms: Uniformly distributed arrays

publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Co-located wind and wave energy farms: Uniformly distributed arrays journaltitle: Energy articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2016.07.069 content_type: article copyright: © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved