WorldWideScience

Sample records for metal-metal batteries

  1. Air and metal hydride battery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lampinen, M.; Noponen, T. [Helsinki Univ. of Technology, Otaniemi (Finland). Lab. of Applied Thermodynamics

    1998-12-31

    The main goal of the air and metal hydride battery project was to enhance the performance and manufacturing technology of both electrodes to such a degree that an air-metal hydride battery could become a commercially and technically competitive power source for electric vehicles. By the end of the project it was possible to demonstrate the very first prototype of the air-metal hydride battery at EV scale, achieving all the required design parameters. (orig.)

  2. Dendrite-Free Sodium-Metal Anodes for High-Energy Sodium-Metal Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Bing; Li, Peng; Zhang, Jinqiang; Wang, Dan; Munroe, Paul; Wang, Chengyin; Notten, Peter H L; Wang, Guoxiu

    2018-05-31

    Sodium (Na) metal is one of the most promising electrode materials for next-generation low-cost rechargeable batteries. However, the challenges caused by dendrite growth on Na metal anodes restrict practical applications of rechargeable Na metal batteries. Herein, a nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon nanotube (NSCNT) paper is used as the interlayer to control Na nucleation behavior and suppress the Na dendrite growth. The N- and S-containing functional groups on the carbon nanotubes induce the NSCNTs to be highly "sodiophilic," which can guide the initial Na nucleation and direct Na to distribute uniformly on the NSCNT paper. As a result, the Na-metal-based anode (Na/NSCNT anode) exhibits a dendrite-free morphology during repeated Na plating and striping and excellent cycling stability. As a proof of concept, it is also demonstrated that the electrochemical performance of sodium-oxygen (Na-O 2 ) batteries using the Na/NSCNT anodes show significantly improved cycling performances compared with Na-O 2 batteries with bare Na metal anodes. This work opens a new avenue for the development of next-generation high-energy-density sodium-metal batteries. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Gradient porous electrode architectures for rechargeable metal-air batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dudney, Nancy J.; Klett, James W.; Nanda, Jagjit; Narula, Chaitanya Kumar; Pannala, Sreekanth

    2016-03-22

    A cathode for a metal air battery includes a cathode structure having pores. The cathode structure has a metal side and an air side. The porosity decreases from the air side to the metal side. A metal air battery and a method of making a cathode for a metal air battery are also disclosed.

  4. Sodium-metal halide and sodium-air batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ha, Seongmin; Kim, Jae-Kwang; Choi, Aram; Kim, Youngsik; Lee, Kyu Tae

    2014-07-21

    Impressive developments have been made in the past a few years toward the establishment of Na-ion batteries as next-generation energy-storage devices and replacements for Li-ion batteries. Na-based cells have attracted increasing attention owing to low production costs due to abundant sodium resources. However, applications of Na-ion batteries are limited to large-scale energy-storage systems because of their lower energy density compared to Li-ion batteries and their potential safety problems. Recently, Na-metal cells such as Na-metal halide and Na-air batteries have been considered to be promising for use in electric vehicles owing to good safety and high energy density, although less attention is focused on Na-metal cells than on Na-ion cells. This Minireview provides an overview of the fundamentals and recent progress in the fields of Na-metal halide and Na-air batteries, with the aim of providing a better understanding of new electrochemical systems. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Protected Lithium-Metal Anodes in Batteries: From Liquid to Solid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chunpeng; Fu, Kun; Zhang, Ying; Hitz, Emily; Hu, Liangbing

    2017-09-01

    High-energy lithium-metal batteries are among the most promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems. With a high specific capacity and a low reduction potential, the Li-metal anode has attracted extensive interest for decades. Dendritic Li formation, uncontrolled interfacial reactions, and huge volume effect are major hurdles to the commercial application of Li-metal anodes. Recent studies have shown that the performance and safety of Li-metal anodes can be significantly improved via organic electrolyte modification, Li-metal interface protection, Li-electrode framework design, separator coating, and so on. Superior to the liquid electrolytes, solid-state electrolytes are considered able to inhibit problematic Li dendrites and build safe solid Li-metal batteries. Inspired by the bright prospects of solid Li-metal batteries, increasing efforts have been devoted to overcoming the obstacles of solid Li-metal batteries, such as low ionic conductivity of the electrolyte and Li-electrolyte interfacial problems. Here, the approaches to protect Li-metal anodes from liquid batteries to solid-state batteries are outlined and analyzed in detail. Perspectives regarding the strategies for developing Li-metal anodes are discussed to facilitate the practical application of Li-metal batteries. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Metal Hydrides for Rechargeable Batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valoeen, Lars Ole

    2000-03-01

    Rechargeable battery systems are paramount in the power supply of modern electronic and electromechanical equipment. For the time being, the most promising secondary battery systems for the future are the lithium-ion and the nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. In this thesis, metal hydrides and their properties are described with the aim of characterizing and improving those. The thesis has a special focus on the AB{sub 5} type hydrogen storage alloys, where A is a rare earth metal like lanthanum, or more commonly misch metal, which is a mixture of rare earth metals, mainly lanthanum, cerium, neodymium and praseodymium. B is a transition metal, mainly nickel, commonly with additions of aluminium, cobalt, and manganese. The misch metal composition was found to be very important for the geometry of the unit cell in AB{sub 5} type alloys, and consequently the equilibrium pressure of hydrogen in these types of alloys. The A site substitution of lanthanum by misch metal did not decrease the surface catalytic properties of AB{sub 5} type alloys. B-site substitution of nickel with other transition elements, however, substantially reduced the catalytic activity of the alloy. If the internal pressure within the electrochemical test cell was increased using inert argon gas, a considerable increase in the high rate charge/discharge performance of LaNi{sub 5} was observed. An increased internal pressure would enable the utilisation of alloys with a high hydrogen equivalent pressure in batteries. Such alloys often have favourable kinetics and high hydrogen diffusion rates and thus have a potential for improving the high current discharge rates in metal hydride batteries. The kinetic properties of metal hydride electrodes were found to improve throughout their lifetime. The activation properties were found highly dependent on the charge/discharge current. Fewer charge/discharge cycles were needed to activate the electrodes if a small current was used instead of a higher

  7. Rechargeable dual-metal-ion batteries for advanced energy storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Hu-Rong; You, Ya; Yin, Ya-Xia; Wan, Li-Jun; Guo, Yu-Guo

    2016-04-14

    Energy storage devices are more important today than any time before in human history due to the increasing demand for clean and sustainable energy. Rechargeable batteries are emerging as the most efficient energy storage technology for a wide range of portable devices, grids and electronic vehicles. Future generations of batteries are required to have high gravimetric and volumetric energy, high power density, low price, long cycle life, high safety and low self-discharge properties. However, it is quite challenging to achieve the above properties simultaneously in state-of-the-art single metal ion batteries (e.g. Li-ion batteries, Na-ion batteries and Mg-ion batteries). In this contribution, hybrid-ion batteries in which various metal ions simultaneously engage to store energy are shown to provide a new perspective towards advanced energy storage: by connecting the respective advantages of different metal ion batteries they have recently attracted widespread attention due to their novel performances. The properties of hybrid-ion batteries are not simply the superposition of the performances of single ion batteries. To enable a distinct description, we only focus on dual-metal-ion batteries in this article, for which the design and the benefits are briefly discussed. We enumerate some new results about dual-metal-ion batteries and demonstrate the mechanism for improving performance based on knowledge from the literature and experiments. Although the search for hybrid-ion batteries is still at an early age, we believe that this strategy would be an excellent choice for breaking the inherent disadvantages of single ion batteries in the near future.

  8. Research in Nickel/Metal Hydride Batteries 2017

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kwo-Hsiung Young

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Continuing from a special issue in Batteries in 2016, nineteen new papers focusing on recent research activities in the field of nickel/metal hydride (Ni/MH batteries have been selected for the 2017 Special Issue of Ni/MH Batteries. These papers summarize the international joint-efforts in Ni/MH battery research from BASF, Wayne State University, Michigan State University, FDK Corp. (Japan, Institute for Energy Technology (Norway, Central South University (China, University of Science and Technology Beijing (China, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry (China, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology (China, Shenzhen Highpower (China, and University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa from 2016–2017 through reviews of AB2 metal hydride alloys, Chinese and EU Patent Applications, as well as descriptions of research results in metal hydride alloys, nickel hydroxide, electrolyte, and new cell type, comparison work, and projections of future works.

  9. Recent progress in rechargeable alkali metalâair batteries

    OpenAIRE

    Xin Zhang; Xin-Gai Wang; Zhaojun Xie; Zhen Zhou

    2016-01-01

    Rechargeable alkali metalâair batteries are considered as the most promising candidate for the power source of electric vehicles (EVs) due to their high energy density. However, the practical application of metalâair batteries is still challenging. In the past decade, many strategies have been purposed and explored, which promoted the development of metalâair batteries. The reaction mechanisms have been gradually clarified and catalysts have been rationally designed for air cathodes. In this ...

  10. Metal-air batteries: from oxygen reduction electrochemistry to cathode catalysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Fangyi; Chen, Jun

    2012-03-21

    Because of the remarkably high theoretical energy output, metal-air batteries represent one class of promising power sources for applications in next-generation electronics, electrified transportation and energy storage of smart grids. The most prominent feature of a metal-air battery is the combination of a metal anode with high energy density and an air electrode with open structure to draw cathode active materials (i.e., oxygen) from air. In this critical review, we present the fundamentals and recent advances related to the fields of metal-air batteries, with a focus on the electrochemistry and materials chemistry of air electrodes. The battery electrochemistry and catalytic mechanism of oxygen reduction reactions are discussed on the basis of aqueous and organic electrolytes. Four groups of extensively studied catalysts for the cathode oxygen reduction/evolution are selectively surveyed from materials chemistry to electrode properties and battery application: Pt and Pt-based alloys (e.g., PtAu nanoparticles), carbonaceous materials (e.g., graphene nanosheets), transition-metal oxides (e.g., Mn-based spinels and perovskites), and inorganic-organic composites (e.g., metal macrocycle derivatives). The design and optimization of air-electrode structure are also outlined. Furthermore, remarks on the challenges and perspectives of research directions are proposed for further development of metal-air batteries (219 references).

  11. Liquid metal batteries - materials selection and fluid dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weier, T.; Bund, A.; El-Mofid, W.; Horstmann, G. M.; Lalau, C.-C.; Landgraf, S.; Nimtz, M.; Starace, M.; Stefani, F.; Weber, N.

    2017-07-01

    Liquid metal batteries are possible candidates for massive and economically feasible large-scale stationary storage and as such could be key components of future energy systems based mainly or exclusively on intermittent renewable electricity sources. The completely liquid interior of liquid metal batteries and the high current densities give rise to a multitude of fluid flow phenomena that will primarily influence the operation of future large cells, but might be important for today’s smaller cells as well. The paper at hand starts with a discussion of the relative merits of using molten salts or ionic liquids as electrolytes for liquid metal cells and touches the choice of electrode materials. This excursus into electrochemistry is followed by an overview of investigations on magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in liquid metal batteries, namely the Tayler instability and electromagnetically excited gravity waves. A section on electro-vortex flows complements the discussion of flow phenomena. Focus of the flow related investigations lies on the integrity of the electrolyte layer and related critical parameters.

  12. Composite metal-hydrogen electrodes for metal-hydrogen batteries. Final report, October 1, 1993 - April 15, 1997

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruckman, M.W.; Strongin, M.; Weismann, H.

    1997-04-01

    The purpose of this project is to develop and conduct a feasibility study of metallic thin films (multilayered and alloy composition) produced by advanced sputtering techniques for use as anodes in Ni-metal hydrogen batteries that would be deposited as distinct anode, electrolyte and cathode layers in thin film devices. The materials could also be incorporated in secondary consumer batteries (i.e. type AF(4/3 or 4/5)) which use electrodes in the form of tapes. The project was based on pioneering studies of hydrogen uptake by ultra-thin Pd-capped Nb films, these studies suggested that materials with metal-hydrogen ratios exceeding those of commercially available metal hydride materials and fast hydrogen charging and discharging kinetics could be produced. The project initially concentrated on gas phase and electrochemical studies of Pd-capped niobium films in laboratory-scale NiMH cells. This extended the pioneering work to the wet electrochemical environment of NiMH batteries and exploited advanced synchrotron radiation techniques not available during the earlier work to conduct in-situ studies of such materials during hydrogen charging and discharging. Although batteries with fast charging kinetics and hydrogen-metal ratios approaching unity could be fabricated, it was found that oxidation, cracking and corrosion in aqueous solutions made pure Nb films and multilayers poor candidates for battery application. The project emphasis shifted to alloy films based on known elemental materials used for NiMH batteries. Although commercial NiMH anode materials contain many metals, it was found that 0.24 μm thick sputtered Zr-Ni films cycled at least 50 times with charging efficiencies exceeding 95% and [H]/[M] ratios of 0.7-1.0. Multilayered or thicker Zr-Ni films could be candidates for a thin film NiMH battery that may have practical applications as an integrated power source for modern electronic devices

  13. Thermal management of Li-ion battery with liquid metal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Xiao-Hu; Tan, Si-Cong; Liu, Jing

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Liquid metal is used for power battery pack thermal management. • Better cooling performance and more uniform module temperature is obtained. • Less power consumption is needed. • The proposed liquid metal cooling system is robust and can cope with stressful conditions. - Abstract: Thermal management especially cooling of electric vehicles (EVs) battery pack is of great significance for guaranteeing the performance of the cells as well as safety and high-efficiency working of the EVs. Liquid cooling is a powerful way to keep the battery temperature in a proper range. However, the efficiency of conventional liquid cooling is still limited due to the inherently low thermal conductivity of the coolant which is usually water or aqueous ethanol. In this paper, a new kind of coolant, liquid metal, is proposed to be used for the thermal management of the battery pack. Mathematical analysis and numerical simulations are conducted to evaluate the cooling capability, pump power consumption and module temperature uniformity of the liquid metal cooling system, in comparison with that of water cooling. The results show that under the same flow conditions, a lower and more uniform module temperature can be obtained and less pump power consumption are needed in the liquid metal cooling system. In addition, liquid metal has an excellent cooling capability coping with stressful conditions, such as high power draw, defects in cells, and high ambient temperature. This makes it a promising coolant for the thermal management of high driving force EVs and quick charge batteries.

  14. Metal hydrides for hydrogen storage in nickel hydrogen batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bittner, H.F.; Badcock, C.C.; Quinzio, M.V.

    1984-01-01

    Metal hydride hydrogen storage in nickel hydrogen (Ni/H 2 ) batteries has been shown to increase battery energy density and improve battery heat management capabilities. However the properties of metal hydrides in a Ni/H 2 battery environment, which contains water vapor and oxygen in addition to the hydrogen, have not been well characterized. This work evaluates the use of hydrides in Ni/H 2 batteries by fundamental characterization of metal hydride properties in a Ni/H 2 cell environment. Hydrogen sorption properties of various hydrides have been measured in a Ni/H 2 cell environment. Results of detailed thermodynamic and kinetic studies of hydrogen sorption in LaNi 5 in a Ni/H 2 cell environment are presented. Long-term cycling studies indicate that degradation of the hydride can be minimized by cycling between certain pressure limits. A model describing the mechanism of hydride degradation is presented

  15. Bending-Tolerant Anodes for Lithium-Metal Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Aoxuan; Tang, Shan; Kong, Debin; Liu, Shan; Chiou, Kevin; Zhi, Linjie; Huang, Jiaxing; Xia, Yong-Yao; Luo, Jiayan

    2018-01-01

    Bendable energy-storage systems with high energy density are demanded for conformal electronics. Lithium-metal batteries including lithium-sulfur and lithium-oxygen cells have much higher theoretical energy density than lithium-ion batteries. Reckoned as the ideal anode, however, Li has many challenges when directly used, especially its tendency to form dendrite. Under bending conditions, the Li-dendrite growth can be further aggravated due to bending-induced local plastic deformation and Li-filaments pulverization. Here, the Li-metal anodes are made bending tolerant by integrating Li into bendable scaffolds such as reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) films. In the composites, the bending stress is largely dissipated by the scaffolds. The scaffolds have increased available surface for homogeneous Li plating and minimize volume fluctuation of Li electrodes during cycling. Significantly improved cycling performance under bending conditions is achieved. With the bending-tolerant r-GO/Li-metal anode, bendable lithium-sulfur and lithium-oxygen batteries with long cycling stability are realized. A bendable integrated solar cell-battery system charged by light with stable output and a series connected bendable battery pack with higher voltage is also demonstrated. It is anticipated that this bending-tolerant anode can be combined with further electrolytes and cathodes to develop new bendable energy systems. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Two-Dimensional Metal Oxide Nanomaterials for Next-Generation Rechargeable Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mei, Jun; Liao, Ting; Kou, Liangzhi; Sun, Ziqi

    2017-12-01

    The exponential increase in research focused on two-dimensional (2D) metal oxides has offered an unprecedented opportunity for their use in energy conversion and storage devices, especially for promising next-generation rechargeable batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (NIBs), as well as some post-lithium batteries, including lithium-sulfur batteries, lithium-air batteries, etc. The introduction of well-designed 2D metal oxide nanomaterials into next-generation rechargeable batteries has significantly enhanced the performance of these energy-storage devices by providing higher chemically active interfaces, shortened ion-diffusion lengths, and improved in-plane carrier-/charge-transport kinetics, which have greatly promoted the development of nanotechnology and the practical application of rechargeable batteries. Here, the recent progress in the application of 2D metal oxide nanomaterials in a series of rechargeable LIBs, NIBs, and other post lithium-ion batteries is reviewed relatively comprehensively. Current opportunities and future challenges for the application of 2D nanomaterials in energy-storage devices to achieve high energy density, high power density, stable cyclability, etc. are summarized and outlined. It is believed that the integration of 2D metal oxide nanomaterials in these clean energy devices offers great opportunities to address challenges driven by increasing global energy demands. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Metal hydrides based high energy density thermal battery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fang, Zhigang Zak; Zhou, Chengshang; Fan, Peng; Udell, Kent S.; Bowman, Robert C.; Vajo, John J.; Purewal, Justin J.; Kekelia, Bidzina

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The principle of the thermal battery using advanced metal hydrides was demonstrated. • The thermal battery used MgH 2 and TiMnV as a working pair. • High energy density can be achieved by the use of MgH 2 to store thermal energy. - Abstract: A concept of thermal battery based on advanced metal hydrides was studied for heating and cooling of cabins in electric vehicles. The system utilized a pair of thermodynamically matched metal hydrides as energy storage media. The pair of hydrides that was identified and developed was: (1) catalyzed MgH 2 as the high temperature hydride material, due to its high energy density and enhanced kinetics; and (2) TiV 0.62 Mn 1.5 alloy as the matching low temperature hydride. Further, a proof-of-concept prototype was built and tested, demonstrating the potential of the system as HVAC for transportation vehicles

  18. Metal hydrides based high energy density thermal battery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fang, Zhigang Zak, E-mail: zak.fang@utah.edu [Department of Metallurgical Engineering, The University of Utah, 135 South 1460 East, Room 412, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0114 (United States); Zhou, Chengshang; Fan, Peng [Department of Metallurgical Engineering, The University of Utah, 135 South 1460 East, Room 412, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0114 (United States); Udell, Kent S. [Department of Metallurgical Engineering, The University of Utah, 50 S. Central Campus Dr., Room 2110, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0114 (United States); Bowman, Robert C. [Department of Metallurgical Engineering, The University of Utah, 135 South 1460 East, Room 412, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0114 (United States); Vajo, John J.; Purewal, Justin J. [HRL Laboratories, LLC, 3011 Malibu Canyon Road, Malibu, CA 90265 (United States); Kekelia, Bidzina [Department of Metallurgical Engineering, The University of Utah, 50 S. Central Campus Dr., Room 2110, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0114 (United States)

    2015-10-05

    Highlights: • The principle of the thermal battery using advanced metal hydrides was demonstrated. • The thermal battery used MgH{sub 2} and TiMnV as a working pair. • High energy density can be achieved by the use of MgH{sub 2} to store thermal energy. - Abstract: A concept of thermal battery based on advanced metal hydrides was studied for heating and cooling of cabins in electric vehicles. The system utilized a pair of thermodynamically matched metal hydrides as energy storage media. The pair of hydrides that was identified and developed was: (1) catalyzed MgH{sub 2} as the high temperature hydride material, due to its high energy density and enhanced kinetics; and (2) TiV{sub 0.62}Mn{sub 1.5} alloy as the matching low temperature hydride. Further, a proof-of-concept prototype was built and tested, demonstrating the potential of the system as HVAC for transportation vehicles.

  19. Process optimization and kinetics for leaching of rare earth metals from the spent Ni-metal hydride batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meshram, Pratima; Pandey, B D; Mankhand, T R

    2016-05-01

    Nickel-metal hydride batteries (Ni-MH) contain not only the base metals, but valuable rare earth metals (REMs) viz. La, Sm, Nd, Pr and Ce as well. In view of the importance of resource recycling and assured supply of the contained metals in such wastes, the present study has focussed on the leaching of the rare earth metals from the spent Ni-MH batteries. The conditions for the leaching of REMs from the spent batteries were optimized as: 2M H2SO4, 348K temperature and 120min of time at a pulp density (PD) of 100g/L. Under this condition, the leaching of 98.1% Nd, 98.4% Sm, 95.5% Pr and 89.4% Ce was achieved. Besides the rare earth metals, more than 90% of base metals (Ni, Co, Mn and Zn) were also leached out in this condition. Kinetic data for the dissolution of all the rare earth metals showed the best fit to the chemical control shrinking core model. The leaching of metals followed the mechanism involving the chemical reaction proceeding on the surface of particles by the lixiviant, which was corroborated by the XRD phase analysis and SEM-EDS studies. The activation energy of 7.6, 6.3, 11.3 and 13.5kJ/mol was acquired for the leaching of neodymium, samarium, praseodymium and cerium, respectively in the temperature range 305-348K. From the leach liquor, the mixed rare earth metals were precipitated at pH∼1.8 and the precipitated REMs was analyzed by XRD and SEM studies to determine the phases and the morphological features. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. Anodematerials for Metal Hydride Batteries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jens Oluf

    1997-01-01

    This report describes the work on development of hydride forming alloys for use as electrode materials in metal hydride batteries. The work has primarily been concentrated on calcium based alloys derived from the compound CaNi5. This compound has a higher capacity compared with alloys used in today......’s hydride batteries, but a much poorer stability towards repeated charge/discharge cycling. The aim was to see if the cycleability of CaNi5 could be enhanced enough by modifications to make the compound a suitable electrode material. An alloying method based on mechanical alloying in a planetary ball mill...

  1. Ceramic/metal seals. [refractory materials for hermetic seals for lighium-metal sulfide batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bredbenner, A. M.

    1977-01-01

    Design criteria are discussed for a hermetic seal capable of withstanding the 450 C operating temperature of a lithium-metal sulfide battery system. A mechanical seal consisting of two high strength alloy metal sleeves welded or brazed to a conductor assembly and pressed onto a ceramic is described. The conductor center passes through the ceramic but is not sealed to it. The seal is effected on the outside of the taper where the tubular part is pressed down over and makes contact.

  2. Lithium alloys and metal oxides as high-capacity anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liang, Chu; Gao, Mingxia; Pan, Hongge; Liu, Yongfeng; Yan, Mi

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Progress in lithium alloys and metal oxides as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries is reviewed. •Electrochemical characteristics and lithium storage mechanisms of lithium alloys and metal oxides are summarized. •Strategies for improving electrochemical lithium storage properties of lithium alloys and metal oxides are discussed. •Challenges in developing lithium alloys and metal oxides as commercial anodes for lithium-ion batteries are pointed out. -- Abstract: Lithium alloys and metal oxides have been widely recognized as the next-generation anode materials for lithium-ion batteries with high energy density and high power density. A variety of lithium alloys and metal oxides have been explored as alternatives to the commercial carbonaceous anodes. The electrochemical characteristics of silicon, tin, tin oxide, iron oxides, cobalt oxides, copper oxides, and so on are systematically summarized. In this review, it is not the scope to retrace the overall studies, but rather to highlight the electrochemical performances, the lithium storage mechanism and the strategies in improving the electrochemical properties of lithium alloys and metal oxides. The challenges and new directions in developing lithium alloys and metal oxides as commercial anodes for the next-generation lithium-ion batteries are also discussed

  3. High-energy-density, aqueous, metal-polyiodide redox flow batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bin; Nie, Zimin; Wang, Wei; Liu, Jun; Sprenkle, Vincent L.

    2017-08-29

    Improved metal-based redox flow batteries (RFBs) can utilize a metal and a divalent cation of the metal (M.sup.2+) as an active redox couple for a first electrode and electrolyte, respectively, in a first half-cell. For example, the metal can be Zn. The RFBs can also utilize a second electrolyte having I.sup.-, anions of I.sub.x (for x.gtoreq.3), or both in an aqueous solution, wherein the I.sup.- and the anions of I.sub.x (for x.gtoreq.3) compose an active redox couple in a second half-cell.

  4. Electrolyte additive enabled fast charging and stable cycling lithium metal batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zheng, Jianming; Engelhard, Mark H.; Mei, Donghai; Jiao, Shuhong; Polzin, Bryant J.; Zhang, Ji-Guang; Xu, Wu

    2017-03-01

    Lithium (Li) metal battery is an attractive energy storage system owing to the ultrahigh specific capacity and the lowest redox potential of Li metal anode. However, safety concern associated with dendrite growth and limited cycle life especially at a high charge current density are two critical challenges hindering the practical applications of rechargeable Li metal batteries. Here, we report for the first time that an optimal amount (0.05 M) of LiPF6 as additive in the LiTFSI-LiBOB dual-salt/carbonate-based electrolyte can significantly enhance the charging capability and the long-term cycle life of Li metal batteries with a moderately high cathode loading of 1.75 mAh cm-2. Unprecedented stable-cycling (97.1% capacity retention after 500 cycles) along with very limited increase in electrode over-potential has been achieved at a high current density of 1.75 mA cm-2. This unparalleled fast charging and stable cycling performance is contributed from both the stabilized Al cathode current collector, and, more importantly, the robust and conductive SEI layer formed on Li metal anode in the presence of the LiPF6 additive.

  5. Research in Nickel/Metal Hydride Batteries 2016

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kwo-Hsiung Young

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Nineteen papers focusing on recent research investigations in the field of nickel/metal hydride (Ni/MH batteries have been selected for this Special Issue of Batteries. These papers summarize the joint efforts in Ni/MH battery research from BASF, Wayne State University, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Michigan State University, and FDK during 2015–2016 through reviews of basic operational concepts, previous academic publications, issued US Patent and filed Japan Patent Applications, descriptions of current research results in advanced components and cell constructions, and projections of future works.

  6. Metal oxide/hydrogen battery; Kinzoku sankabutsu/suiso denchi

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kanda, M.; Niki, H. [Toshiba Research and Development Centre, Komukai, Kawasaki (Japan)

    1995-07-04

    The metal oxide-hydrogen battery consisting mainly of hydrogen storage alloy has high energy density and high volume efficiency. However, it is disadvantageous that the self-discharge takes place since the discharge capacity is lowered due to the delivery of stored hydrogen from the hydrogen electrode. This invention relates to the metal oxide-hydrogen battery consisting of hydrogen storage alloy. Hydrogen storage alloy which is composed of LaNi5 system homogeneous solid solution having an equilibrium plateau pressure of less than 1 atm at 20{degree}C is used. As a result, the battery voltage change and the self-discharge can be reduced, and the cell performance can be improved. Examples of LaNi5 system hydrogen storage alloy are ANi(5-x)Mx (A = La, Mm, and Ca, M = Al, Mn, Si, Ge, Fe, B, Ga, Cu, In, and Co). LaNi(4.7)Al(0.3) and MmNi(4.2)Mn(0.8) are preferable. 3 figs.

  7. Electrolyte additive enabled fast charging and stable cycling lithium metal batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zheng, Jianming; Engelhard, Mark H.; Mei, Donghai; Jiao, Shuhong; Polzin, Bryant J.; Zhang, Ji-Guang; Xu, Wu

    2017-03-01

    Batteries using lithium (Li) metal as anodes are considered promising energy storage systems because of their high energy densities. However, safety concerns associated with dendrite growth along with limited cycle life, especially at high charge current densities, hinder their practical uses. Here we report that an optimal amount (0.05 M) of LiPF6 as an additive in LiTFSI-LiBOB dual-salt/carbonate-solvent-based electrolytes significantly enhances the charging capability and cycling stability of Li metal batteries. In a Li metal battery using a 4-V Li-ion cathode at a moderately high loading of 1.75mAh cm(-2), a cyclability of 97.1% capacity retention after 500 cycles along with very limited increase in electrode overpotential is accomplished at a charge/discharge current density up to 1.75 mA cm(-2). The fast charging and stable cycling performances are ascribed to the generation of a robust and conductive solid electrolyte interphase at the Li metal surface and stabilization of the Al cathode current collector.

  8. Cathode Composition in a Saltwater Metal-Air Battery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William Shen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Metal-air batteries consist of a solid metal anode and an oxygen cathode of ambient air, typically separated by an aqueous electrolyte. Here, simple saltwater-based models of aluminum-air and zinc-air cells are used to determine the differences between theoretical cell electric potentials and experimental electric potentials. A substantial difference is observed. It is also found that the metal cathode material is crucial to cell electric potential, despite the cathode not participating in the net reaction. Finally, the material composition of the cathode appears to have a more significant impact on cell potential than the submerged surface area of the cathode.

  9. Design of Hydrogen Storage Alloys/Nanoporous Metals Hybrid Electrodes for Nickel-Metal Hydride Batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, M. M.; Yang, C. C.; Wang, C. C.; Wen, Z.; Zhu, Y. F.; Zhao, M.; Li, J. C.; Zheng, W. T.; Lian, J. S.; Jiang, Q.

    2016-06-01

    Nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries have demonstrated key technology advantages for applications in new-energy vehicles, which play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. However, the poor high-rate dischargeability of the negative electrode materials—hydrogen storage alloys (HSAs) limits applications of Ni-MH batteries in high-power fields due to large polarization. Here we design a hybrid electrode by integrating HSAs with a current collector of three-dimensional bicontinuous nanoporous Ni. The electrode shows enhanced high-rate dischargeability with the capacity retention rate reaching 44.6% at a discharge current density of 3000 mA g-1, which is 2.4 times that of bare HSAs (18.8%). Such a unique hybrid architecture not only enhances charge transfer between nanoporous Ni and HSAs, but also facilitates rapid diffusion of hydrogen atoms in HSAs. The developed HSAs/nanoporous metals hybrid structures exhibit great potential to be candidates as electrodes in high-performance Ni-MH batteries towards applications in new-energy vehicles.

  10. Ion conducting polymers and polymer blends for alkali metal ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeSimone, Joseph M.; Pandya, Ashish; Wong, Dominica; Vitale, Alessandra

    2017-08-29

    Electrolyte compositions for batteries such as lithium ion and lithium air batteries are described. In some embodiments the compositions are liquid compositions comprising (a) a homogeneous solvent system, said solvent system comprising a perfluropolyether (PFPE) and polyethylene oxide (PEO); and (b) an alkali metal salt dissolved in said solvent system. In other embodiments the compositions are solid electrolyte compositions comprising: (a) a solid polymer, said polymer comprising a crosslinked product of a crosslinkable perfluropolyether (PFPE) and a crosslinkable polyethylene oxide (PEO); and (b) an alkali metal ion salt dissolved in said polymer. Batteries containing such compositions as electrolytes are also described.

  11. Mathematical modeling of the nickel/metal hydride battery system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paxton, Blaine Kermit [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

    1995-09-01

    A group of compounds referred to as metal hydrides, when used as electrode materials, is a less toxic alternative to the cadmium hydroxide electrode found in nickel/cadmium secondary battery systems. For this and other reasons, the nickel/metal hydride battery system is becoming a popular rechargeable battery for electric vehicle and consumer electronics applications. A model of this battery system is presented. Specifically the metal hydride material, LaNi{sub 5}H{sub 6}, is chosen for investigation due to the wealth of information available in the literature on this compound. The model results are compared to experiments found in the literature. Fundamental analyses as well as engineering optimizations are performed from the results of the battery model. In order to examine diffusion limitations in the nickel oxide electrode, a ``pseudo 2-D model`` is developed. This model allows for the theoretical examination of the effects of a diffusion coefficient that is a function of the state of charge of the active material. It is found using present data from the literature that diffusion in the solid phase is usually not an important limitation in the nickel oxide electrode. This finding is contrary to the conclusions reached by other authors. Although diffusion in the nickel oxide active material is treated rigorously with the pseudo 2-D model, a general methodology is presented for determining the best constant diffusion coefficient to use in a standard one-dimensional battery model. The diffusion coefficients determined by this method are shown to be able to partially capture the behavior that results from a diffusion coefficient that varies with the state of charge of the active material.

  12. Recovery and Separation of Valuable Metals from Spent Nickel-Metal Hydride Batteries using some Organophosphorus Extractants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aly, M.I.; Daoud, J.A.; ALy, H.F.

    2012-01-01

    The separation of cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements from NiMH battery residues is evaluated in this paper. A hydrometallurgical process is developed for the recovery of metals from spent batteries and a selective separation of RE by precipitation of sodium RE double sulfate is performed. The methodology used benefits the solubility of the battery electrode materials in sulfuric or hydrochloric acids. The results obtained show that sulfuric acid is slightly less powerful in leaching (NiMH) compared to HCl acid. However, sulfuric acid was used on economic basis. Leaching solution was obtained by using 3 M H 2 SO 4 at 70 +1 degree C + 3% wt. H 2 O 2 for 5 hours. It has been shown that it is possible to recover about 98 % of the RE contained in spent NiMH batteries. The maximum recovery of nickel and cobalt metals was 99.9% and 99.4%, respectively. The effects of the main operating variables of both leaching and solvent extraction steps of nickel (II) and cobalt (II) from the leach solution using HDEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid) and CYANEX 272 (di-(2,4,4 trimethyl pentyl) phosphinic acid) in kerosene were investigated aiming to maximize metal separation for recycling purposes. The developed process for the recovery and separation of nickel (II) , cobalt (II), and rare earth from spent NiMH batteries is tested and the obtained sulfate salts CoSO 4 and NiSO 4 have a high purity, suggesting that these recovered products could be used as chemical materials without further purification

  13. Research on Computer Integrated Manufacturing of Sheet Metal Parts for Lithium Battery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pan Wei-Min

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Lithium battery has been widely used as the main driving force of the new energy vehicle in recent years. Sheet metal parts are formed by means of pressure forming techniques with the characteristics of light weight, small size and high structural strength. The sheet metal forming has higher productivity and material utilization than the mechanical cutting, therefore sheet metal parts are widely used in many fields, such as modern automotive industry, aviation, aerospace, machine tools, instruments and household appliances. In this paper, taking a complex lithium battery box as an example, the integrated manufacturing of sheet metal parts is studied, and the digital integrated design and manufacturing process system is proposed. The technology is studied such as sheet metal design, unfolding, sheet nesting and laser cutting, CNC turret punch stamping programming, CNC bending etc. The feasibility of the method is verified through the examples of products and the integrated manufacturing of sheet metal box is completed.

  14. Impedance-Based Battery Management for Metal-O2 Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Andreas Elkjær; Højberg, Jonathan; Norby, Poul

    2015-01-01

    In electric vehicles, reliable estimation of the state-of-charge (SoC) is crucial to determine the remaining capacity, but the electrochemical processes in metal-O2 batteries are very different to the Li-ion batteries used today, and current SoC-estimation methods prove insufficient. In Li-O2 bat...

  15. A metal-free organic-inorganic aqueous flow battery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huskinson, B; Marshak, MP; Suh, C; Er, S; Gerhardt, MR; Galvin, CJ; Chen, XD; Aspuru-Guzik, A; Gordon, RG; Aziz, MJ

    2014-01-08

    As the fraction of electricity generation from intermittent renewable sources-such as solar or wind-grows, the ability to store large amounts of electrical energy is of increasing importance. Solid-electrode batteries maintain discharge at peak power for far too short a time to fully regulate wind or solar power output(1,2). In contrast, flow batteries can independently scale the power (electrode area) and energy (arbitrarily large storage volume) components of the system by maintaining all of the electro-active species in fluid form(3-5). Wide-scale utilization of flow batteries is, however, limited by the abundance and cost of these materials, particularly those using redox-active metals and precious-metal electrocatalysts(6,7). Here we describe a class of energy storage materials that exploits the favourable chemical and electro-chemical properties of a family of molecules known as quinones. The example we demonstrate is ametal-free flow battery based on the redox chemistry of 9,10-anthraquinone-2,7-disulphonic acid (AQDS). AQDS undergoes extremely rapid and reversible two-electron two-proton reduction on a glassy carbon electrode in sulphuric acid. An aqueous flow battery with inexpensive carbon electrodes, combining the quinone/hydroquinone couple with the Br-2/Br- redox couple, yields a peak galvanic power density exceeding 0.6 W cm(-2) at 1.3 A cm(-2). Cycling of this quinone-bromide flow battery showed >99 per cent storage capacity retention per cycle. The organic anthraquinone species can be synthesized from inexpensive commodity chemicals(8). This organic approach permits tuning of important properties such as the reduction potential and solubility by adding functional groups: for example, we demonstrate that the addition of two hydroxy groups to AQDS increases the open circuit potential of the cell by 11% and we describe a pathway for further increases in cell voltage. The use of p-aromatic redox-active organic molecules instead of redox-active metals

  16. Computational Analysis and Design of New Materials for Metal-Air Batteries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mekonnen, Yedilfana Setarge; Hummelshøj, Jens Strabo

    In the last decade, great effort has been paid to the development of next generation batteries. Metal-O2 /Air batteries (Li-, Na-, Mg-, Al-, Fe- and Zn-O2 batteries) in both aqueous and nonaqueous (aprotic) electrolytes have gained much attention. Metal-air batteries have high theoretical specific...... gravimetric energy. In the case of Li-O2, it is comparable to that of gasoline. Thus, Li-O2 batteries could be attractive for electric vehicle manufacturers since the energy storage capacity accessible by commercially available Li-ion technology is too low to solve increasing capacity demands. However......, current Li-O2 batteries suffer from several drawbacks, e.g. dendrite formation, poor rechargeability and low capacity caused by the so-called “sudden death” at its cathode during the discharge process due to insulating discharge products. This thesis is devoted to understand the charge transport...

  17. Role of perfluoropolyether-based electrolytes in lithium metal batteries: Implication for suppressed Al current collector corrosion and the stability of Li metal/electrolytes interfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cong, Lina; Liu, Jia; Armand, Michel; Mauger, Alain; Julien, Christian M.; Xie, Haiming; Sun, Liqun

    2018-03-01

    The development of safe and high performance lithium metal batteries represents a major technological challenge for this new century. Historically, intrinsic instabilities of conventional liquid organic electrolytes induced battery failures and safety issues that hinder the practical utilization of advanced rechargeable lithium metal batteries. Herein, we report a multifunctional perfluoropolyether-based liquid polymer electrolyte (PFPE-MC/LiTFSI), presenting a unique "anion-solvent" interaction. This interaction optimizes the interfacial chemistry of lithium metal batteries, which effectively inhibits the corrosion of aluminum current collectors, suppresses lithium dendrite growth, and also facilitates the formation of a thin and stable SEI layer on Li anode. Even at a high current density of 0.7 mA cm-2, the lithium dendrites do not form after 1360 h of continuous operation. The LiFePO4|PFPE-MC/LiTFSI|Li cell delivers a stable cycling performance with over 99.9% columbic efficiency either at ambient temperature or high temperature, which is significantly superior to those using traditional carbonate electrolytes. In addition, PFPE-MC/LiTFSI electrolyte also possesses eye-catching properties, such as being non-flammable, non-volatile, non-hygroscopic, and existing in the liquid state between -90 °C and 200 °C, which further ensures the high safety of the lithium metal batteries, making this electrolyte promising for the development of high energy lithium metal batteries.

  18. Stabilized Lithium-Metal Surface in a Polysulfide-Rich Environment of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zu, Chenxi; Manthiram, Arumugam

    2014-08-07

    Lithium-metal anode degradation is one of the major challenges of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, hindering their practical utility as next-generation rechargeable battery chemistry. The polysulfide migration and shuttling associated with Li-S batteries can induce heterogeneities of the lithium-metal surface because it causes passivation by bulk insulating Li2S particles/electrolyte decomposition products on a lithium-metal surface. This promotes lithium dendrite formation and leads to poor lithium cycling efficiency with complicated lithium surface chemistry. Here, we show copper acetate as a surface stabilizer for lithium metal in a polysulfide-rich environment of Li-S batteries. The lithium surface is protected from parasitic reactions with the organic electrolyte and the migrating polysulfides by an in situ chemical formation of a passivation film consisting of mainly Li2S/Li2S2/CuS/Cu2S and electrolyte decomposition products. This passivation film also suppresses lithium dendrite formation by controlling the lithium deposition sites, leading to a stabilized lithium surface characterized by a dendrite-free morphology and improved surface chemistry.

  19. Soil contamination of toxic metals from zinc carbon batteries inadequate disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gazano, Vanessa Santos Oliveira

    2006-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to determine the concentration of Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr, and Ni in an oxisol column contaminated with zinc-carbon batteries. Two control and two contaminated columns, and batteries alone were leached for a periods of six months and one year with aqueous solution of HNO3 and H2SO4 (1:1, pH 4,0) to simulate rainwater. The metal concentrations in effluent and soil were measured by means of ICP-OES technique. Results from the contaminated column showed enhanced concentrations in both effluent and soil (mainly zinc, manganese and lead). In addition, the total amount of metals in effluent and soil showed similar sequence order as observed for batteries alone (Zn > Mn > Pb > Cr > Cu > Ni > Cd) indicating that batteries can be considered the main source of contamination. We also observed migration of Zn and Mn from the top to the lower layers of the soil columns. The study gives further evidence that batteries can significantly contaminate the soil with metals like Zn, Mn and Pb, and maybe Cd too. This soil contamination combined with the enhanced concentrations found in the effluent can point out a probable groundwater contamination. (author)

  20. Recent Progress in Graphite Intercalation Compounds for Rechargeable Metal (Li, Na, K, Al)-Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jiantie; Dou, Yuhai; Wei, Zengxi; Ma, Jianmin; Deng, Yonghong; Li, Yutao; Liu, Huakun; Dou, Shixue

    2017-10-01

    Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with higher energy density are very necessary to meet the increasing demand for devices with better performance. With the commercial success of lithiated graphite, other graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) have also been intensively reported, not only for LIBs, but also for other metal (Na, K, Al) ion batteries. In this Progress Report, we briefly review the application of GICs as anodes and cathodes in metal (Li, Na, K, Al) ion batteries. After a brief introduction on the development history of GICs, the electrochemistry of cationic GICs and anionic GICs is summarized. We further briefly summarize the use of cationic GICs and anionic GICs in alkali ion batteries and the use of anionic GICs in aluminium-ion batteries. Finally, we reach some conclusions on the drawbacks, major progress, emerging challenges, and some perspectives on the development of GICs for metal (Li, Na, K, Al) ion batteries. Further development of GICs for metal (Li, Na, K, Al) ion batteries is not only a strong supplement to the commercialized success of lithiated-graphite for LIBs, but also an effective strategy to develop diverse high-energy batteries for stationary energy storage in the future.

  1. Behavior of Lithium Metal Anodes under Various Capacity Utilization and High Current Density in Lithium Metal Batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiao, Shuhong; Zheng, Jianming; Li, Qiuyan; Li, Xing; Engelhard, Mark H.; Cao, Ruiguo; Zhang, Ji-Guang; Xu, Wu

    2018-01-01

    Lithium (Li) metal batteries (LMBs) are regarded as the most promising power sources for electric vehicles. Besides the Li dendrite growth and low Li Coulombic efficiency, how to well match Li metal anode with a high loading (normally over 3.0 mAh cm-2) cathode is another key challenge to achieve the real high energy density battery. In this work, we systematically investigate the effects of the Li metal capacity usage in each cycle, manipulated by varying the cathode areal loading, on the stability of Li metal anode and the cycling performance of LMBs using the LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 (NMC) cathode and an additive-containing dual-salt/carbonate-solvent electrolyte. It is demonstrated that the Li||NMC cells show decent long-term cycling performance even with NMC areal capacity loading up to ca. 4.0 mAh cm-2 and at a charge current density of 1.0 mA cm-2. The increase of the Li capacity usage in each cycle causes variation in the components of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer on Li metal anode and generates more ionic conductive species from this electrolyte. Further study reveals for the first time that the degradation of Li metal anode and the thickness of SEI layer on Li anode show linear relationship with the areal capacity of NMC cathode. Meanwhile, the expansion rate of consumed Li and the ratio of SEI thickness to NMC areal loading are kept almost the same value with increasing cathode loading, respectively. These fundamental findings provide new perspectives on the rational evaluation of Li metal anode stability for the development of rechargeable LMBs.

  2. A review of flexible lithium-sulfur and analogous alkali metal-chalcogen rechargeable batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Hong-Jie; Huang, Jia-Qi; Zhang, Qiang

    2017-08-29

    Flexible energy storage systems are imperative for emerging flexible devices that are revolutionizing our life. Lithium-ion batteries, the current main power sources, are gradually approaching their theoretical limitation in terms of energy density. Therefore, alternative battery chemistries are urgently required for next-generation flexible power sources with high energy densities, low cost, and inherent safety. Flexible lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries and analogous flexible alkali metal-chalcogen batteries are of paramount interest owing to their high energy densities endowed by multielectron chemistry. In this review, we summarized the recent progress of flexible Li-S and analogous batteries. A brief introduction to flexible energy storage systems and general Li-S batteries has been provided first. Progress in flexible materials for flexible Li-S batteries are reviewed subsequently, with a detailed classification of flexible sulfur cathodes as those based on carbonaceous (e.g., carbon nanotubes, graphene, and carbonized polymers) and composite (polymers and inorganics) materials and an overview of flexible lithium anodes and flexible solid-state electrolytes. Advancements in other flexible alkali metal-chalcogen batteries are then introduced. In the next part, we emphasize the importance of cell packaging and flexibility evaluation, and two special flexible battery prototypes of foldable and cable-type Li-S batteries are highlighted. In the end, existing challenges and future development of flexible Li-S and analogous alkali metal-chalcogen batteries are summarized and prospected.

  3. Metal-air battery research and development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behrin, E.; Cooper, J. F.

    1982-05-01

    This report summarizes the activities of the Metal-air Battery Program during the calendar year 1981. The principal objective is to develop a refuelable battery as an automotive energy source for general-purpose electric vehicles and to conduct engineering demonstrations of its ability to provide vehicles with the range, acceleration, and rapid refueling capability of current internal-combustion-engine automobiles. The second objective is to develop an electrically-rechargeable battery for specific-mission electric vehicles, such as commuter vehicles, that can provide low-cost transportation. The development progression is to: (1) develop a mechanically rechargeable aluminum-air power cell using model electrodes, (2) develop cost-effective anode and cathode materials and structures as required to achieve reliability and efficiency goals, and to establish the economic competitiveness of this technology, and (3) develop and integrated propulsion system utilizing the power cell.

  4. Reviews on the Japanese Patent Applications Regarding Nickel/Metal Hydride Batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taihei Ouchi

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The Japanese Patent Applications filed on the topic of nickel/metal hydride (Ni/MH batteries have been reviewed. Patent applications filed by the top nine battery manufacturers (Matsushita, Sanyo, Hitachi Maxell, Yuasa, Toshiba, FDK, Furukawa, Japan Storage, and Shin-kobe, five component suppliers (Tanaka, Mitsui, Santoku, Japan Metals & Chemicals Co. (JMC, and Shin-Etsu, and three research institutes (Industrial Research Institute (ISI, Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST, and Toyota R & D were chosen as the main subjects for this review, based on their production volume and contribution to the field. By reviewing these patent applications, we can have a clear picture of the technology development in the Japanese battery industry. These patent applications also provide insights, know-how, and future directions for engineers and scientists working in the rechargeable battery field.

  5. Highly Stable Operation of Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by the Formation of a Transient High Concentration Electrolyte Layer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zheng, Jianming; Yan, Pengfei; Mei, Donghai; Engelhard, Mark H.; Cartmell, Samuel S.; Polzin, Bryant; Wang, Chong M.; Zhang, Jiguang; Xu, Wu

    2016-02-08

    Lithium (Li) metal has been extensively investigated as an anode for rechargeable battery applications due to its ultrahigh specific capacity and the lowest redox potential. However, significant challenges including dendrite growth and low Coulombic efficiency are still hindering the practical applications of rechargeable Li metal batteries. Here, we demonstrate that long-term cycling of Li metal batteries can be realized by the formation of a transient high concentration electrolyte layer near the surface of Li metal anode during high rate discharge process. The highly concentrated Li+ ions in this transient layer will immediately solvate with the available solvent molecules and facilitate the formation of a stable and flexible SEI layer composed of a poly(ethylene carbonate) framework integrated with other organic/inorganic lithium salts. This SEI layer largely suppresses the corrosion of Li metal anode by free organic solvents and enables the long-term operation of Li metal batteries. The fundamental findings in this work provide a new direction for the development and operation of Li metal batteries that could be operated at high current densities for a wide range of applications.

  6. Nanoporous Polymer-Ceramic Composite Electrolytes for Lithium Metal Batteries

    KAUST Repository

    Tu, Zhengyuan; Kambe, Yu; Lu, Yingying; Archer, Lynden A.

    2013-01-01

    A nanoporous composite material that offers the unique combination of high room-temperature ionic conductivity and high mechanical modulus is reported. When used as the separator/electrolyte in lithium batteries employing metallic lithium as anode

  7. Electrolyte Chemistry for Simultaneous Stabilization of Potassium Metal and Superoxide in K-O₂ Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Neng; Gourdin, Gerald; Wu, Yiying

    2018-05-22

    In the superoxide batteries based on O2/O2- redox chemistry, identifying an electrolyte to stabilize both alkali metal and superoxide remains challenging due to their reactivity towards electrolyte components. Bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (FSI-) has been recognized as a "magical anion" for passivating alkali metals. Herein, we illustrate the chemical reactions between FSI- and superoxide, and the resultant dilemma when considering an anode-compatible electrolyte vs. a cathode-compatible one in K-O2 batteries. On one side, the KFSI-dimethoxyethane (DME) electrolyte passivates the potassium metal anode via the cleavage of S-F bond and formation of a KF-rich solid electrolyte interface (SEI). Nevertheless, the KFSI salt is chemically unstable due to the nucleophilic attack by superoxide and/or hydroxide species. On the other hand, potassium bis(trifluorosulfonyl)imide (KTFSI) is stable for KO2, but results in mossy deposition and irreversible plating and stripping. In order to circumvent this dilemma, we develop an artificial SEI for K metal anode to achieve long cycle-life K-O2 batteries. This work contributes to the understanding of electrolyte chemistry and guides the development of stable electrolytes and artificial SEI in metal-O2 batteries. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Current Status of Health and Safety Issues of Sodium/Metal Chloride (Zebra) Batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    David Trickett

    1998-01-01

    This report addresses environmental, health, and safety (EH ampersand S) issues associated with sodium/ metal chloride batteries, in general, although most references to specific cell or battery types refer to units developed or being developed under the Zebra trademark. The report focuses on issues pertinent to sodium/metal chloride batteries and their constituent components; however, the fact that some ''issues'' arise from interaction between electric vehicle (EV) and battery design com- pels occasional discussion amid the context of EV vehicle design and operation. This approach has been chosen to provide a reasonably comprehensive account of the topic from a cell technology perspective and an applications perspective

  9. Current Status of Health and Safety Issues of Sodium/Metal Chloride (Zebra) Batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trickett, D.

    1998-12-15

    This report addresses environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) issues associated with sodium/ metal chloride batteries, in general, although most references to specific cell or battery types refer to units developed or being developed under the Zebra trademark. The report focuses on issues pertinent to sodium/metal chloride batteries and their constituent components; however, the fact that some ''issues'' arise from interaction between electric vehicle (EV) and battery design compels occasional discussion amid the context of EV vehicle design and operation. This approach has been chosen to provide a reasonably comprehensive account of the topic from a cell technology perspective and an applications perspective.

  10. Recovering metal values hydrometallurgically from spent dry battery cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabah, M. A.; Barakat, M. A.; Mahrous, Y. Sh.

    1999-12-01

    A hydro-pyrometallurgical method was used to recover metal values from spent dry battery cells. Water-soluble ingredients were filtered, and solid residue was sorted by magnetic separation and water flotation. Parameters affecting the recovery efficiency were also studied. Results revealed that metallic parts, carbon rods, and paper were safely recovered; pure NH4Cl, MnO2, and ZnCl2 salts were obtained. Maximum recovery efficiencies reached 93 percent for manganese and 99.5 percent for zinc and NH4.

  11. Recent Progress in Graphite Intercalation Compounds for Rechargeable Metal (Li, Na, K, Al)‐Ion Batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jiantie; Dou, Yuhai; Wei, Zengxi; Li, Yutao; Liu, Huakun; Dou, Shixue

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) with higher energy density are very necessary to meet the increasing demand for devices with better performance. With the commercial success of lithiated graphite, other graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) have also been intensively reported, not only for LIBs, but also for other metal (Na, K, Al) ion batteries. In this Progress Report, we briefly review the application of GICs as anodes and cathodes in metal (Li, Na, K, Al) ion batteries. After a brief introduction on the development history of GICs, the electrochemistry of cationic GICs and anionic GICs is summarized. We further briefly summarize the use of cationic GICs and anionic GICs in alkali ion batteries and the use of anionic GICs in aluminium‐ion batteries. Finally, we reach some conclusions on the drawbacks, major progress, emerging challenges, and some perspectives on the development of GICs for metal (Li, Na, K, Al) ion batteries. Further development of GICs for metal (Li, Na, K, Al) ion batteries is not only a strong supplement to the commercialized success of lithiated‐graphite for LIBs, but also an effective strategy to develop diverse high‐energy batteries for stationary energy storage in the future. PMID:29051856

  12. Hollow carbon sphere/metal oxide nanocomposites anodes for lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wenelska, K.; Ottmann, A.; Schneider, P.; Thauer, E.; Klingeler, R.; Mijowska, E.

    2016-01-01

    HCS (Hollow carbon spheres) covered with metal oxide nanoparticles (SnO_2 and MnO_2, respectively) were successfully synthesized and investigated regarding their potential as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Raman spectroscopy shows a high degree of graphitization for the HCS host structure. The mesoporous nature of the nanocomposites is confirmed by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis. For both metal oxides under study, the metal oxide functionalization of HCS yields a significant increase of electrochemical performance. The charge capacity of HCS/SnO_2 is 370 mA hg"−"1 after 45 cycles (266 mA hg"−"1 in HCS/MnO_2) which clearly exceeds the value of 188 mA hg"−"1 in pristine HCS. Remarkably, the data imply excellent long term cycling stability after 100 cycles in both cases. The results hence show that mesoporous HCS/metal oxide nanocomposites enable exploiting the potential of metal oxide anode materials in Lithium-ion batteries by providing a HCS host structure which is both conductive and stable enough to accommodate big volume change effects. - Highlights: • Strategy to synthesize hollow carbon spheres decorated by metal oxides nanoparticles. • High-performance of HCS/MOx storage as mesoporous hybrid material. • The results hence demonstrate high electrochemical activity of the HCS/MOx.

  13. Recovery Of Electrodic Powder From Spent Nickel-Metal Hydride Batteries (NiMH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shin S.M.

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This study was focused on recycling process newly proposed to recover electrodic powder enriched in nickel (Ni and rare earth elements (La and Ce from spent nickel-metal hydride batteries (NiMH. In addition, this new process was designed to prevent explosion of batteries during thermal treatment under inert atmosphere. Spent nickel metal hydride batteries were heated over range of 300°C to 600°C for 2 hours and each component was completely separated inside reactor after experiment. Electrodic powder was successfully recovered from bulk components containing several pieces of metals through sieving operation. The electrodic powder obtained was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX and image of the powder was taken by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. It was finally found that nickel and rare earth elements were mainly recovered to about 45 wt.% and 12 wt.% in electrodic powder, respectively.

  14. Understanding the molecular mechanism of pulse current charging for stable lithium-metal batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qi; Tan, Shen; Li, Linlin; Lu, Yingying; He, Yi

    2017-01-01

    High energy and safe electrochemical storage are critical components in multiple emerging fields of technologies. Rechargeable lithium-metal batteries are considered to be promising alternatives for current lithium-ion batteries, leading to as much as a 10-fold improvement in anode storage capacity (from 372 to 3860 mAh g−1). One of the major challenges for commercializing lithium-metal batteries is the reliability and safety issue, which is often associated with uneven lithium electrodeposition (lithium dendrites) during the charging stage of the battery cycling process. We report that stable lithium-metal batteries can be achieved by simply charging cells with square-wave pulse current. We investigated the effects of charging period and frequency as well as the mechanisms that govern this process at the molecular level. Molecular simulations were performed to study the diffusion and the solvation structure of lithium cations (Li+) in bulk electrolyte. The model predicts that loose association between cations and anions can enhance the transport of Li+ and eventually stabilize the lithium electrodeposition. We also performed galvanostatic measurements to evaluate the cycling behavior and cell lifetime under pulsed electric field and found that the cell lifetime can be more than doubled using certain pulse current waveforms. Both experimental and simulation results demonstrate that the effectiveness of pulse current charging on dendrite suppression can be optimized by choosing proper time- and frequency-dependent pulses. This work provides a molecular basis for understanding the mechanisms of pulse current charging to mitigating lithium dendrites and designing pulse current waveforms for stable lithium-metal batteries. PMID:28776039

  15. Recovery of metals from a mixture of various spent batteries by a hydrometallurgical process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanong, Kulchaya; Coudert, Lucie; Mercier, Guy; Blais, Jean-Francois

    2016-10-01

    Spent batteries contain hazardous materials, including numerous metals (cadmium, lead, nickel, zinc, etc.) that are present at high concentrations. Therefore, proper treatment of these wastes is necessary to prevent their harmful effects on human health and the environment. Current recycling processes are mainly applied to treat each type of spent battery separately. In this laboratory study, a hydrometallurgical process has been developed to simultaneously and efficiently solubilize metals from spent batteries. Among the various chemical leaching agents tested, sulfuric acid was found to be the most efficient and cheapest reagent. A Box-Behnken design was used to identify the influence of several parameters (acid concentration, solid/liquid ratio, retention time and number of leaching steps) on the removal of metals from spent batteries. According to the results, the solid/liquid ratio and acid concentration seemed to be the main parameters influencing the solubilization of zinc, manganese, nickel, cadmium and cobalt from spent batteries. According to the results, the highest metal leaching removals were obtained under the optimal leaching conditions (pulp density = 180 g/L (w/v), [H2SO4] = 1 M, number of leaching step = 3 and leaching time = 30 min). Under such optimum conditions, the removal yields obtained were estimated to be 65% for Mn, 99.9% for Cd, 100% for Zn, 74% for Co and 68% for Ni. Further studies will be performed to improve the solubilization of Mn and to selectively recover the metals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Metals recovery of spent household batteries using a hydrometallurgical process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Souza, K.P.; Tenorio, J.A.S.

    2010-01-01

    The objective of the work is to study a method for metals recovery from a sample composed by a mixture of the main types of spent household batteries. Segregation of the main metals is investigated using a treatment route consisting of the following steps: manual identified and dismantling, grinding, electric furnace reduction, acid leaching and selective precipitation with sodium hydroxide with and without hydrogen peroxide. Before and after precipitations the solutions had been analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP/OES) and the precipitated analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Spectrometry of Energy Dispersion Spectroscopy (EDS). The results had indicated that the great majority of metals had been precipitated in pHs studied, also had co-precipitation or simultaneous precipitation of metals in some pHs. (author)

  17. Anthraquinone with Tailored Structure for Nonaqueous Metal-Organic Redox Flow Battery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Wei; Xu, Wu; Cosimbescu, Lelia; Choi, Daiwon; Li, Liyu; Yang, Zhenguo

    2012-06-08

    A nonaqueous, hybrid metal-organic redox flow battery based on tailored anthraquinone structure is demonstrated to have an energy efficiency of {approx}82% and a specific discharge energy density similar to aqueous redox flow batteries, which is due to the significantly improved solubility of anthraquinone in supporting electrolytes.

  18. Study of the factors influencing the metals solubilisation from a mixture of waste batteries by response surface methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanong, Kulchaya; Coudert, Lucie; Chartier, Myriam; Mercier, Guy; Blais, Jean-François

    2017-12-01

    This paper presents an innovative process for the recovery of valuable metals from a mixture of spent batteries. Different types of batteries, including alkaline, zinc-carbon (Zn-C), nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd), nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH), lithium ion (Li-ion) and lithium metallic (Li-M) batteries, were mixed according to the proportion of the Canadian sales of batteries. A Box-Behnken design was applied to find the optimum leaching conditions allowing a maximum of valuable metal removals from a mixture of spent batteries in the presence of an inorganic acid and a reducing agent. The results highlighted the positive effect of sodium metabisulfite on the performance of metals removal, especially for Mn. The solid/liquid ratio and the concentration of H 2 SO 4 were the main factors affecting the leaching behavior of valuable metals (Zn, Mn, Cd, Ni) present in spent batteries. Finally, the optimum leaching conditions were found as follows: one leaching step, solid/liquid ratio = 10.9%, [H 2 SO 4 ] = 1.34 M, sodium metabisulfite (Na 2 S 2 O 5 ) = 0.45 g/g of battery powder and retention time = 45 min. Under such conditions, the removal yields achieved were 94% for Mn, 81% for Cd, 99% for Zn, 96% for Co and 68% for Ni.

  19. Hydrometallurgical Recovery of Metal Values From Spent Dry Battery Cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rabah, M.A.; Barakat, M.A.; Mahrous, Y.Sh.

    1999-01-01

    This study focuses on the recovery of metal values from spent dry battery cells (DBC) applying a hydro-pyrometallurgical method. A process flow sheet was followed up starting with cutting the DBC with toothed cutter disc followed by water soaking and rinsing. Water soluble ingredients were filtered. Solid residue was assorted with the help of magnetic separation and water flotation.The method utilizes hydrogen peroxide to enhance dissolution of these metals in acidic or alkaline leachants. Parameters affecting the recovery efficiency such as stoichiometric ratio, solid: liquid ratio, temperature, time and ph of the system were investigated. In this concern, experiments were executed with a battery sample weighing up to 15 kg. Atomic absorption analysis showed that the input DBC contain appreciable amounts of metal zinc, zinc chloride and manganese that are recoverable.Results obtained revealed that metallic parts, carbon rods and paper were safely separated for recycling. From the water-soluble salts, pure NH 4 CI, MnO 2 and ZnCI 2 salts are obtained meeting the standard specifications. Temperature up to 55 degree enhances the recovery process. Under the optimum conditions, maximum recovery efficiency obtained amounts to 93% for Mn, and 99.5% for Zn and NH 4 CI. A model for explaining the obtained results was also given. Dissolution of metals concerned increases in the order nitric> hydrochloric acid. Results were explained in the premise of the kinetic and thermodynamic properties of the reactions involved. Cost estimate of the products shows that the prices of the products are competitive to those of the market prices

  20. Oxidized graphene as an electrode material for rechargeable metal-ion batteries – a DFT point of view

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dobrota, Ana S.; Pašti, Igor A.; Skorodumova, Natalia V.

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Abstract: In line with a growing interest in the use of graphene-based materials for energy storage applications and active research in the field of rechargeable metal-ion batteries we have performed a DFT based computational study of alkali metal atoms (Li, Na and K) interaction with an oxidized graphene. The presence of oxygen surface groups (epoxy and hydroxyl) alters the chemisorption properties of graphene. In particular, we observe that the epoxy groups are redox active and enhance the alkali metal adsorption energies by a factor of 2 or more. When an alkali metal atom interacts with hydroxyl-graphene the formation of metal-hydroxide is observed. In addition to a potential boost of metal ion storage capability, oxygen functional groups also prevent the precipitation of the metal phase. By simulating lithiation/de-lithiation process on epoxy-graphenes, it was concluded that the oxidized graphene can undergo structural changes during battery operation. Our results suggest that the content and the type of oxygen surface groups should be carefully tailored to maximize the performance of metal-ion batteries. This is mainly related to the control of the oxidation level in order to provide enough active centers for metal ion storage while preserving sufficient electrical conductivity

  1. Transition-metal chlorides as conversion cathode materials for Li-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Ting; Chen, Zhong X.; Cao, Yu L.; Ai, Xin P.; Yang, Han X.

    2012-01-01

    Insoluble AgCl and soluble CuCl 2 were selected and investigated as model compounds of transition-metal chlorides for electrochemical conversion cathode materials. The experimental results demonstrated that the AgCl nanocrystals can convert reversibly to metallic Ag with nearly full utilization of its one-electron redox capacity (187 mAh g −1 ). Similarly, the CuCl 2 -filled mesoporous carbon can realize a reversible two-electron transfer reaction, giving a very high reversible capacity of 466 mAh g −1 after 20 cycles. These data imply that the metal chlorides can undergo complete electrochemical conversion utilizing their full oxidation states for electrical energy storage as previously reported metal fluorides, possibly being used as high capacity cathode materials for Li-ion batteries.

  2. P and Si functionalized MXenes for metal-ion battery applications

    KAUST Repository

    Zhu, Jiajie; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

    2017-01-01

    MXenes are a family of two-dimensional materials, composed of early transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides, with great potential in energy storage systems, in particular in electrodes for Li, Na, K-ion batteries. However, so far

  3. Behavior of Lithium Metal Anodes under Various Capacity Utilization and High Current Density in Lithium Metal Batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiao, Shuhong; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei; Zheng, Jianming; Li, Qiuyan; Li, Xing

    2017-01-01

    We report that lithium (Li) metal batteries (LMBs) have recently attracted extensive interest in the energy-storage field after silence from the public view for several decades. However, many challenges still need to be overcome before their practical application, especially those that are related to the interfacial instability of Li metal anodes. Here, we reveal for the first time that the thickness of the degradation layer on the metallic Li anode surface shows a linear relationship with Li areal capacity utilization up to 4.0 mAh cm -2 in a practical LMB system. The increase in Li capacity utilization in each cycle causes variations in the morphology and composition of the degradation layer on the Li anode. Under high Li capacity utilization, the current density for charge (i.e., Li deposition) is identified to be a key factor controlling the corrosion of the Li metal anode. Lastly, these fundamental findings provide new perspectives for the development of rechargeable LMBs.

  4. Ion conducting fluoropolymer carbonates for alkali metal ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeSimone, Joseph M.; Pandya, Ashish; Wong, Dominica; Balsara, Nitash P.; Thelen, Jacob; Devaux, Didier

    2017-09-05

    Liquid or solid electrolyte compositions are described that comprise a homogeneous solvent system and an alkali metal salt dissolved in said solvent system. The solvent system may comprise a fluoropolymer, having one or two terminal carbonate groups covalently coupled thereto. Batteries containing such electrolyte compositions are also described.

  5. Electrochemically Formed Ultrafine Metal Oxide Nanocatalysts for High-Performance Lithium–Oxygen Batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Bin; Yan, Pengfei; Xu, Wu; Zheng, Jianming; He, Yang; Luo, Langli; Bowden, Mark E.; Wang, Chong-Min; Zhang, Ji-Guang

    2016-08-10

    Lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) battery has an extremely high theoretical specific energy density as compared with conventional energy storage systems. However, practical application of Li-O2 battery system still faces significant challenges, especially its poor cyclability. In this work, we report a new approach to synthesis ultrafine metal oxide nanocatalysts through an electrochemical pre-lithiation process. This process reduces the size of NiCo2O4 (NCO) particles from 20~30 nm to a uniformly distributed domain of ~ 2 nm and largely improved their catalytic activity. Structurally, the pre-lithiated NCO NWs are featured by ultrafine NiO/CoO nanoparticles, which show high stability during prolonged cycles in terms of morphology and the particle size, therefore maintaining an excellent catalytic effect to oxygen reduction and evolution reactions. Li-O2 battery using this catalyst has demonstrated an initial capacity of 29,280 mAh g-1 and has retained a stable capacity of over 1,000 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles based on the weight of NCO active material. Direct in-situ TEM observation conclusively reveals the lithiation/delithiation process of as-prepared NCO NWs, clarifying the NCO/Li electrochemical reaction mechanism that can be extended to other transition-metal oxides and providing the in depth understandings on the catalysts and battery chemistries of other ternary transition-metal oxides.

  6. Calcium-Antimony Alloys as Electrodes for Liquid Metal Batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ouchi, T; Kim, H; Ning, XH; Sadoway, DR

    2014-08-08

    The performance of a calcium-antimony (Ca-Sb) alloy serving as the positive electrode in a Ca vertical bar vertical bar Sb liquid metal battery was investigated in an electrochemical cell, Ca(in Bi) vertical bar LiCl-NaCl-CaCl2 vertical bar Ca(in Sb). The equilibrium potential of the Ca-Sb electrode was found to lie on the interval, 1.2-0.95 V versus Ca, in good agreement with electromotive force (emf) measurements in the literature. During both alloying and dealloying of Ca at the Sb electrode, the charge transfer and mass transport at the interface are facile enough that the electrode potential varies linearly from 0.95 to 0.75 V vs Ca(s) as current density varies from 50 to 500 mA cm(-2). The discharge capacity of the Ca vertical bar vertical bar Sb cells increases as the operating temperature increases due to the higher solubility and diffusivity of Ca in Sb. The cell was successfully cycled with high coulombic efficiency (similar to 100%) and small fade rate (<0.01% cycle(-1)). These data combined with the favorable costs of these metals and salts make the Ca vertical bar vertical bar Sb liquid metal battery attractive for grid-scale energy storage. (C) The Author(s) 2014. Published by ECS. All rights reserved.

  7. Anthraquinone with tailored structure for a nonaqueous metal-organic redox flow battery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei; Xu, Wu; Cosimbescu, Lelia; Choi, Daiwon; Li, Liyu; Yang, Zhenguo

    2012-07-07

    A nonaqueous, hybrid metal-organic redox flow battery based on tailored anthraquinone structure is demonstrated to have an energy efficiency of ~82% and a specific discharge energy density similar to those of aqueous redox flow batteries, which is due to the significantly improved solubility of anthraquinone in supporting electrolytes.

  8. High-Energy-Density Metal-Oxygen Batteries: Lithium-Oxygen Batteries vs Sodium-Oxygen Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Kyeongse; Agyeman, Daniel Adjei; Park, Mihui; Yang, Junghoon; Kang, Yong-Mook

    2017-12-01

    The development of next-generation energy-storage devices with high power, high energy density, and safety is critical for the success of large-scale energy-storage systems (ESSs), such as electric vehicles. Rechargeable sodium-oxygen (Na-O 2 ) batteries offer a new and promising opportunity for low-cost, high-energy-density, and relatively efficient electrochemical systems. Although the specific energy density of the Na-O 2 battery is lower than that of the lithium-oxygen (Li-O 2 ) battery, the abundance and low cost of sodium resources offer major advantages for its practical application in the near future. However, little has so far been reported regarding the cell chemistry, to explain the rate-limiting parameters and the corresponding low round-trip efficiency and cycle degradation. Consequently, an elucidation of the reaction mechanism is needed for both lithium-oxygen and sodium-oxygen cells. An in-depth understanding of the differences and similarities between Li-O 2 and Na-O 2 battery systems, in terms of thermodynamics and a structural viewpoint, will be meaningful to promote the development of advanced metal-oxygen batteries. State-of-the-art battery design principles for high-energy-density lithium-oxygen and sodium-oxygen batteries are thus reviewed in depth here. Major drawbacks, reaction mechanisms, and recent strategies to improve performance are also summarized. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Performance and stability of a liquid anode high-temperature metal-air battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Otaegui, L.; Rodriguez-Martinez, L. M.; Wang, L.; Laresgoiti, A.; Tsukamoto, H.; Han, M. H.; Tsai, C.-L.; Laresgoiti, I.; López, C. M.; Rojo, T.

    2014-02-01

    A High-Temperature Metal-Air Battery (HTMAB) that operates based on a simple redox reaction between molten metal and atmospheric oxygen at 600-1000 °C is presented. This innovative HTMAB concept combines the technology of conventional metal-air batteries with that of solid oxide fuel cells to provide a high energy density system for many applications. Electrochemical reversibility is demonstrated with 95% coulomb efficiency. Cell sealing has been identified as a key issue in order to determine the end-of-charge voltage, enhance coulomb efficiency and ensure long term stability. In this work, molten Sn is selected as anode material. Low utilization of the stored material due to precipitation of the SnO2 on the electrochemically active area limits the expected capacity, which should theoretically approach 903 mAh g-1. Nevertheless, more than 1000 charge/discharge cycles are performed during more than 1000 h at 800 °C, showing highly promising results of stability, reversibility and cyclability.

  10. Metallic Sn-Based Anode Materials: Application in High-Performance Lithium-Ion and Sodium-Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ying, Hangjun; Han, Wei-Qiang

    2017-11-01

    With the fast-growing demand for green and safe energy sources, rechargeable ion batteries have gradually occupied the major current market of energy storage devices due to their advantages of high capacities, long cycling life, superior rate ability, and so on. Metallic Sn-based anodes are perceived as one of the most promising alternatives to the conventional graphite anode and have attracted great attention due to the high theoretical capacities of Sn in both lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) (994 mA h g -1 ) and sodium-ion batteries (847 mA h g -1 ). Though Sony has used Sn-Co-C nanocomposites as its commercial LIB anodes, to develop even better batteries using metallic Sn-based anodes there are still two main obstacles that must be overcome: poor cycling stability and low coulombic efficiency. In this review, the latest and most outstanding developments in metallic Sn-based anodes for LIBs and SIBs are summarized. And it covers the modification strategies including size control, alloying, and structure design to effectually improve the electrochemical properties. The superiorities and limitations are analyzed and discussed, aiming to provide an in-depth understanding of the theoretical works and practical developments of metallic Sn-based anode materials.

  11. Facile synthesis of nanostructured transition metal oxides as electrodes for Li-ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Opra, Denis P.; Gnedenkov, Sergey V.; Sokolov, Alexander A.; Minaev, Alexander N.; Kuryavyi, Valery G.; Sinebryukhov, Sergey L.

    2017-09-01

    At all times, energy storage is one of the greatest scientific challenge. Recently, Li-ion batteries are under special attention due to high working voltage, long cycle life, low self-discharge, reliability, no-memory effect. However, commercial LIBs usage in medium- and large-scale energy storage are limited by the capacity of lithiated metal oxide cathode and unsafety of graphite anode at high-rate charge. In this way, new electrode materials with higher electrochemical performance should be designed to satisfy a requirement in both energy and power. As it known, nanostructured transition metal oxides are promising electrode materials because of their elevated specific capacity and high potential vs. Li/Li+. In this work, the perspective of an original facile technique of pulsed high-voltage plasma discharge in synthesis of nanostructured transition metal oxides as electrodes for lithium-ion batteries has been demonstrated.

  12. Nanocluster metal films as thermoelectric material for radioisotope mini battery unit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borisyuk, P.V.; Krasavin, A.V.; Tkalya, E.V.; Lebedinskii, Yu.Yu.; Vasiliev, O.S.; Yakovlev, V.P.; Kozlova, T.I.; Fetisov, V.V.

    2016-01-01

    The paper is devoted to studying the thermoelectric and structural properties of films based on metal nanoclusters (Au, Pd, Pt). The experimental results of the study of single nanoclusters’ tunneling conductance obtained with scanning tunneling spectroscopy are presented. The obtained data allowed us to evaluate the thermoelectric power of thin film consisting of densely packed individual nanoclusters. It is shown that such thin films can operate as highly efficient thermoelectric materials. A scheme of miniature thermoelectric radioisotope power source based on the thorium-228 isotope is proposed. The efficiency of the radioisotope battery using thermoelectric converters based on nanocluster metal films is shown to reach values up to 1.3%. The estimated characteristics of the device are comparable with the parameters of up-to-date radioisotope batteries based on nickel-63.

  13. Recovery concept of value metals from automotive lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Traeger, Thomas; Friedrich, Bernd

    2015-01-01

    A recycling process for automotive lithium-ion batteries was developed. The process combines a mechanical pretreatment with pyrometallurgical recycling process step to recover all battery components, and realize cost-neutral and sustainable recycling. The focus of the research work is the development of a pyrometallurgical process step to recover especially Li out of electrode mass powder which is the fine fraction extracted mechanically from spent Li-ion batteries. Two metallurgical treatment technologies were investigated: direct vacuum evaporation of Li and recovery of metallic Li by distillation, and a selective entraining gas evaporation of Li and recovery of lithium oxide.

  14. P and Si functionalized MXenes for metal-ion battery applications

    KAUST Repository

    Zhu, Jiajie

    2017-04-10

    MXenes are a family of two-dimensional materials, composed of early transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides, with great potential in energy storage systems, in particular in electrodes for Li, Na, K-ion batteries. However, so far the capacities are not competitive. In this context, we investigate P and Si functionalized MXenes for metal-ion battery applications, using first-principles calculations, since P and Si provide reaction products with high ion content. Replacement of the F and OH ligands of Ti2C and V2C with P and Si is demonstrated to be feasible (energy barriers of less than 0.128 eV) and the ion diffusion barriers turn out to be less than 0.32 eV. Importantly, the Li, Na, and K capacities are predicted to be 1767 mAh g−1, 711 mAh g−1, and 711 mAh g−1, respectively, thus being much higher than in the case of F and OH functionalization.

  15. Recovery of valuable metals from spent HEV NiMH battery leach solutions

    OpenAIRE

    Ricknell, Jonas

    2017-01-01

    As the demand on resources is increasing worldwide, the process of recycling material has become more important. The specific recycling of metals used in car batteries, and more specifically in the large batteries used in hybrid electric vehicles, is a rising concern where the industrially implemented recycling processes concerning these batteries that exist today are often highly pollutant and energy consuming. In the present study, an alternative hydrometallurgical recycling process of the ...

  16. Capacity extended bismuth-antimony cathode for high-performance liquid metal battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Tao; Zhao, Yue; Ning, Xiao-Hui; Lakshmi Narayan, R.; Li, Ju; Shan, Zhi-wei

    2018-03-01

    Li-Bi based liquid metal batteries (LMBs) have attracted interest due to their potential for solving grid scale energy storage problems. In this study, the feasibility of replacing the bismuth cathode with a bismuth-antimony alloy cathode in lithium based LMBs is investigated. The influence of the Bi:Sb ratio on voltage characteristics is evaluated via the constant current discharge method and electrochemical titration. On observing the cross section of the electrode at various stages of discharge, it is determined that both Sb and Bi form solid intermetallics with Li on the cathode. Additionally, the addition of Bi not only reduces the melting temperature of the Bi:Sb intermetallic but also actively contributes to the electrode capacity. Thereafter, a Li|LiCl-LiF|Sb-Bi liquid metal battery with 3 A h nameplate capacity, assembled and cycled at 1 C rate, is found to possess a stable capacity for over 160 cycles. The overall performance of this battery is discussed in the context of cost effectiveness, energy and coulombic efficiencies.

  17. Lithium salts for advanced lithium batteries: Li–metal, Li–O2, and Li–S

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Younesi, Reza; Veith, Gabriel M.; Johansson, Patrik

    2015-01-01

    Presently lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) is the dominant Li-salt used in commercial rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) based on a graphite anode and a 3–4 V cathode material. While LiPF6 is not the ideal Li-salt for every important electrolyte property, it has a uniquely suitable...... combination of properties (temperature range, passivation, conductivity, etc.) rendering it the overall best Li-salt for LIBs. However, this may not necessarily be true for other types of Li-based batteries. Indeed, next generation batteries, for example lithium–metal (Li–metal), lithium–oxygen (Li–O2......), and lithium–sulfur (Li–S), require a re-evaluation of Li-salts due to the different electrochemical and chemical reactions and conditions within such cells. This review explores the critical role Li-salts play in ensuring in these batteries viability....

  18. One-dimensional manganese-cobalt oxide nanofibres as bi-functional cathode catalysts for rechargeable metal-air batteries

    OpenAIRE

    Jung, Kyu-Nam; Hwang, Soo Min; Park, Min-Sik; Kim, Ki Jae; Kim, Jae-Geun; Dou, Shi Xue; Kim, Jung Ho; Lee, Jong-Won

    2015-01-01

    Rechargeable metal-air batteries are considered a promising energy storage solution owing to their high theoretical energy density. The major obstacles to realising this technology include the slow kinetics of oxygen reduction and evolution on the cathode (air electrode) upon battery discharging and charging, respectively. Here, we report non-precious metal oxide catalysts based on spinel-type manganese-cobalt oxide nanofibres fabricated by an electrospinning technique. The spinel oxide nanof...

  19. Bioleaching of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion mobile phone batteries using Aspergillus niger

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horeh, N. Bahaloo; Mousavi, S. M.; Shojaosadati, S. A.

    2016-07-01

    In this paper, a bio-hydrometallurgical route based on fungal activity of Aspergillus niger was evaluated for the detoxification and recovery of Cu, Li, Mn, Al, Co and Ni metals from spent lithium-ion phone mobile batteries under various conditions (one-step, two-step and spent medium bioleaching). The maximum recovery efficiency of 100% for Cu, 95% for Li, 70% for Mn, 65% for Al, 45% for Co, and 38% for Ni was obtained at a pulp density of 1% in spent medium bioleaching. The HPLC results indicated that citric acid in comparison with other detected organic acids (gluconic, oxalic and malic acid) had an important role in the effectiveness of bioleaching using A. niger. The results of FTIR, XRD and FE-SEM analysis of battery powder before and after bioleaching process confirmed that the fungal activities were quite effective. In addition, bioleaching achieved higher removal efficiency for heavy metals than the chemical leaching. This research demonstrated the great potential of bio-hydrometallurgical route to recover heavy metals from spent lithium-ion mobile phone batteries.

  20. Highly Stable Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by Regulating the Solvation of Lithium Ions in Nonaqueous Electrolytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xue-Qiang; Chen, Xiang; Cheng, Xin-Bing; Li, Bo-Quan; Shen, Xin; Yan, Chong; Huang, Jia-Qi; Zhang, Qiang

    2018-05-04

    Safe and rechargeable lithium metal batteries have been difficult to achieve because of the formation of lithium dendrites. Herein an emerging electrolyte based on a simple solvation strategy is proposed for highly stable lithium metal anodes in both coin and pouch cells. Fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) and lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) were concurrently introduced into an electrolyte, thus altering the solvation sheath of lithium ions, and forming a uniform solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), with an abundance of LiF and LiN x O y on a working lithium metal anode with dendrite-free lithium deposition. Ultrahigh Coulombic efficiency (99.96 %) and long lifespans (1000 cycles) were achieved when the FEC/LiNO 3 electrolyte was applied in working batteries. The solvation chemistry of electrolyte was further explored by molecular dynamics simulations and first-principles calculations. This work provides insight into understanding the critical role of the solvation of lithium ions in forming the SEI and delivering an effective route to optimize electrolytes for safe lithium metal batteries. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Nanoporous Polymer-Ceramic Composite Electrolytes for Lithium Metal Batteries

    KAUST Repository

    Tu, Zhengyuan

    2013-09-16

    A nanoporous composite material that offers the unique combination of high room-temperature ionic conductivity and high mechanical modulus is reported. When used as the separator/electrolyte in lithium batteries employing metallic lithium as anode, the material displays unprecedented cycling stability and excellent ability to prevent premature cell failure by dendrite-induced short circuits © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Directly Formed Alucone on Lithium Metal for High-Performance Li Batteries and Li-S Batteries with High Sulfur Mass Loading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Lin; Huang, Zhennan; Shahbazian-Yassar, Reza; Libera, Joseph A; Klavetter, Kyle C; Zavadil, Kevin R; Elam, Jeffrey W

    2018-02-28

    Lithium metal is considered the "holy grail" of next-generation battery anodes. However, severe parasitic reactions at the lithium-electrolyte interface deplete the liquid electrolyte and the uncontrolled formation of high surface area and dendritic lithium during cycling causes rapid capacity fading and battery failure. Engineering a dendrite-free lithium metal anode is therefore critical for the development of long-life batteries using lithium anodes. In this study, we deposit a conformal, organic/inorganic hybrid coating, for the first time, directly on lithium metal using molecular layer deposition (MLD) to alleviate these problems. This hybrid organic/inorganic film with high cross-linking structure can stabilize lithium against dendrite growth and minimize side reactions, as indicated by scanning electron microscopy. We discovered that the alucone coating yielded several times longer cycle life at high current rates compared to the uncoated lithium and achieved a steady Coulombic efficiency of 99.5%, demonstrating that the highly cross-linking structured material with great mechanical properties and good flexibility can effectively suppress dendrite formation. The protected Li was further evaluated in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with a high sulfur mass loading of ∼5 mg/cm 2 . After 140 cycles at a high current rate of ∼1 mA/cm 2 , alucone-coated Li-S batteries delivered a capacity of 657.7 mAh/g, 39.5% better than that of a bare lithium-sulfur battery. These findings suggest that flexible coating with high cross-linking structure by MLD is effective to enable lithium protection and offers a very promising avenue for improved performance in the real applications of Li-S batteries.

  3. Theoretical investigation of the use of nanocages with an adsorbed halogen atom as anode materials in metal-ion batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Razavi, Razieh; Abrishamifar, Seyyed Milad; Rajaei, Gholamreza Ebrahimzadeh; Kahkha, Mohammad Reza Rezaei; Najafi, Meysam

    2018-02-21

    The applicability of C 44 , B 22 N 22 , Ge 44 , and Al 22 P 22 nanocages, as well as variants of those nanocages with an adsorbed halogen atom, as high-performance anode materials in Li-ion, Na-ion, and K-ion batteries was investigated theoretically via density functional theory. The results obtained indicate that, among the nanocages with no adsorbed halogen atom, Al 22 P 22 would be the best candidate for a novel anode material for use in metal-ion batteries. Calculations also suggest that K-ion batteries which utilize these nanocages as anode materials would give better performance and would yield higher cell voltages than the corresponding Li-ion and Na-ion batteries with nanocage-based anodes. Also, the results for the nanocages with an adsorbed halogen atom imply that employing them as anode materials would lead to higher cell voltages and better metal-ion battery performance than if the nanocages with no adsorbed halogen atom were to be used as anode materials instead. Results further implied that nanocages with an adsorbed F atom would give higher cell voltages and better battery performance than nanocages with an adsorbed Cl or Br atom. We were ultimately able to conclude that a K-ion battery that utilized Al 21 P 22 with an adsorbed F atom as its anode material would afford the best metal-ion battery performance; we therefore propose this as a novel highly efficient metal-ion battery. Graphical abstract The results of a theoretical investigation indicated that Al 22 P 22 is a better candidate for a high-performance anode material in metal-ion batteries than Ge 44 is. Calculations also showed that K-ion batteries with nanocage-based anodes would produce higher cell voltages and perform better than the equivalent Li-ion and Na-ion batteries with nanocage-based anodes, and that anodes based on nanocages with an adsorbed F atom would perform better than anodes based on nanocages with an adsorbed Cl or Br atom.

  4. Cathode architectures for alkali metal / oxygen batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visco, Steven J; Nimon, Vitaliy; De Jonghe, Lutgard C; Volfkovich, Yury; Bograchev, Daniil

    2015-01-13

    Electrochemical energy storage devices, such as alkali metal-oxygen battery cells (e.g., non-aqueous lithium-air cells), have a cathode architecture with a porous structure and pore composition that is tailored to improve cell performance, especially as it pertains to one or more of the discharge/charge rate, cycle life, and delivered ampere-hour capacity. A porous cathode architecture having a pore volume that is derived from pores of varying radii wherein the pore size distribution is tailored as a function of the architecture thickness is one way to achieve one or more of the aforementioned cell performance improvements.

  5. Thermally-responsive, nonflammable phosphonium ionic liquid electrolytes for lithium metal batteries: operating at 100 degrees celsius.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, X; Kavian, R; Lu, Y; Hu, Q; Shao-Horn, Y; Grinstaff, M W

    2015-11-13

    Rechargeable batteries such as Li ion/Li metal batteries are widely used in the electronics market but the chemical instability of the electrolyte limits their use in more demanding environmental conditions such as in automotive, oil exploration, or mining applications. In this study, a series of alkyl phosphonium ionic liquid electrolyte are described with high thermal stability and solubility for LiTFSI. A lithium metal battery (LMB) containing a tailored phosphonium ionic liquid/LiTFSI electrolyte operates at 100 °C with good specific capacities and cycling stability. Substantial capacity is maintained during 70 cycles or 30 days. Instant on-off battery operation is realized via the significant temperature dependence of the electrolyte material, demonstrating the robustness and potential for use at high temperature.

  6. Challenges and issues facing lithium metal for solid-state rechargeable batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mauger, A.; Armand, M.; Julien, C. M.; Zaghib, K.

    2017-06-01

    The commercial use of lithium metal batteries was delayed because of dendrite formation on the surface of the lithium electrode, and the difficulty finding a suitable electrolyte that has both the mechanical strength and ionic conductivity required for solid electrolytes. Recently, strategies have developed to overcome these difficulties, so that these batteries are currently an option for different applications, including electric cars. In this work, we review these strategies, and discuss the different routes that are promising for progress in the near future.

  7. A stable organic-inorganic hybrid layer protected lithium metal anode for long-cycle lithium-oxygen batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Jinhui; Yang, Jun; Zhou, Jingjing; Zhang, Tao; Li, Lei; Wang, Jiulin; Nuli, Yanna

    2017-10-01

    A stable organic-inorganic hybrid layer (OIHL) is direct fabricated on lithium metal surface by the interfacial reaction of lithium metal foil with 1-chlorodecane and oxygen/carbon dioxide mixed gas. This favorable OIHL is approximately 30 μm thick and consists of lithium alkyl carbonate and lithium chloride. The lithium-oxygen batteries with OIHL protected lithium metal anode exhibit longer cycle life (340 cycles) than those with bare lithium metal anode (50 cycles). This desirable performance can be ascribed to the robust OIHL which prevents the growth of lithium dendrites and the corrosion of lithium metal.

  8. Effect of Different Binders on the Electrochemical Performance of Metal Oxide Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Rui; Feng, Lili; Yang, Wenrong; Zhang, Yinyin; Zhang, Yanli; Bai, Wei; Liu, Bo; Zhang, Wei; Chuan, Yongming; Zheng, Ziguang; Guan, Hongjin

    2017-10-01

    When testing the electrochemical performance of metal oxide anode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), binder played important role on the electrochemical performance. Which binder was more suitable for preparing transition metal oxides anodes of LIBs has not been systematically researched. Herein, five different binders such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) HSV900, PVDF 301F, PVDF Solvay5130, the mixture of styrene butadiene rubber and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SBR+CMC), and polyacrylonitrile (LA133) were studied to make anode electrodes (compared to the full battery). The electrochemical tests show that using SBR+CMC and LA133 binder which use water as solution were significantly better than PVDF. The SBR+CMC binder remarkably improve the bonding capacity, cycle stability, and rate performance of battery anode, and the capacity retention was about 87% after 50th cycle relative to the second cycle. SBR+CMC binder was more suitable for making transition metal oxides anodes of LIBs.

  9. A highly reversible room-temperature lithium metal battery based on crosslinked hairy nanoparticles.

    KAUST Repository

    Choudhury, Snehashis; Mangal, Rahul; Agrawal, Akanksha; Archer, Lynden A

    2015-01-01

    Rough electrodeposition, uncontrolled parasitic side-reactions with electrolytes and dendrite-induced short-circuits have hindered development of advanced energy storage technologies based on metallic lithium, sodium and aluminium electrodes. Solid polymer electrolytes and nanoparticle-polymer composites have shown promise as candidates to suppress lithium dendrite growth, but the challenge of simultaneously maintaining high mechanical strength and high ionic conductivity at room temperature has so far been unmet in these materials. Here we report a facile and scalable method of fabricating tough, freestanding membranes that combine the best attributes of solid polymers, nanocomposites and gel-polymer electrolytes. Hairy nanoparticles are employed as multifunctional nodes for polymer crosslinking, which produces mechanically robust membranes that are exceptionally effective in inhibiting dendrite growth in a lithium metal battery. The membranes are also reported to enable stable cycling of lithium batteries paired with conventional intercalating cathodes. Our findings appear to provide an important step towards room-temperature dendrite-free batteries.

  10. A highly reversible room-temperature lithium metal battery based on crosslinked hairy nanoparticles.

    KAUST Repository

    Choudhury, Snehashis

    2015-12-04

    Rough electrodeposition, uncontrolled parasitic side-reactions with electrolytes and dendrite-induced short-circuits have hindered development of advanced energy storage technologies based on metallic lithium, sodium and aluminium electrodes. Solid polymer electrolytes and nanoparticle-polymer composites have shown promise as candidates to suppress lithium dendrite growth, but the challenge of simultaneously maintaining high mechanical strength and high ionic conductivity at room temperature has so far been unmet in these materials. Here we report a facile and scalable method of fabricating tough, freestanding membranes that combine the best attributes of solid polymers, nanocomposites and gel-polymer electrolytes. Hairy nanoparticles are employed as multifunctional nodes for polymer crosslinking, which produces mechanically robust membranes that are exceptionally effective in inhibiting dendrite growth in a lithium metal battery. The membranes are also reported to enable stable cycling of lithium batteries paired with conventional intercalating cathodes. Our findings appear to provide an important step towards room-temperature dendrite-free batteries.

  11. Metal oxide-hydrogen secondary battery; Kinzoku sankabutsu-suiso niji denchi

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hosobuchi, H.; Edoi, M.; Katsumata, T.

    1995-06-06

    Recently, the metal oxide - hydrogen secondary battery characterized by employing the hydrogen storage alloy as the hydrogen negative electrode draws attention. However, the secondary batteries equipped with the negative electrode composed of hydrogen storage alloy powder have such shortcoming that the charge-discharge cycle life is rather short and it changes widely from battery to battery, as the hydrogen storage alloy is disintegrated. This invention solves the problem. Employing the alloy having a composition expressed as LmNi(w)Co(X)Mn(y)Al(z) (Lm = rare earth elements including La) can suppress the disintegration of hydrogen storage alloy powder during the charge-discharge cycle. In addition, controlling the oxygen content in the hydrogen storage alloy powder to 500 - 1500ppm can reduce the oxidation corrosion of the hydrogen storage alloy, resulting in suppression of its deterioration. 1 fig., 2 tabs.

  12. Targeting high value metals in lithium-ion battery recycling via shredding and size-based separation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xue; Gaustad, Gabrielle; Babbitt, Callie W

    2016-05-01

    Development of lithium-ion battery recycling systems is a current focus of much research; however, significant research remains to optimize the process. One key area not studied is the utilization of mechanical pre-recycling steps to improve overall yield. This work proposes a pre-recycling process, including mechanical shredding and size-based sorting steps, with the goal of potential future scale-up to the industrial level. This pre-recycling process aims to achieve material segregation with a focus on the metallic portion and provide clear targets for subsequent recycling processes. The results show that contained metallic materials can be segregated into different size fractions at different levels. For example, for lithium cobalt oxide batteries, cobalt content has been improved from 35% by weight in the metallic portion before this pre-recycling process to 82% in the ultrafine (6mm). However, size fractions across multiple battery chemistries showed significant variability in material concentration. This finding indicates that sorting by cathode before pre-treatment could reduce the uncertainty of input materials and therefore improve the purity of output streams. Thus, battery labeling systems may be an important step towards implementation of any pre-recycling process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Development of battery management system for nickel-metal hydride batteries in electric vehicle applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Do Yang; Lee, Baek Haeng; Kim, Sun Wook

    Electric vehicle (EV) performance is very dependent on traction batteries. For developing electric vehicles with high performance and good reliability, the traction batteries have to be managed to obtain maximum performance under various operating conditions. Enhancement of battery performance can be accomplished by implementing a battery management system (BMS) that plays an important role in optimizing the control mechanism of charge and discharge of the batteries as well as monitoring the battery status. In this study, a BMS has been developed for maximizing the use of Ni-MH batteries in electric vehicles. This system performs several tasks: the control of charging and discharging, overcharge and over-discharge protection, the calculation and display of state-of-charge (SOC), safety, and thermal management. The BMS is installed in and tested in a DEV5-5 electric vehicle developed by Daewoo Motor Co. and the Institute for Advanced Engineering in Korea. Eighteen modules of a Panasonic nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery, 12 V, 95 A h, are used in the DEV5-5. High accuracy within a range of 3% and good reliability are obtained. The BMS can also improve the performance and cycle-life of the Ni-MH battery peak, as well as the reliability and the safety of the electric vehicles.

  14. Ionic Liquid-Nanoparticle Hybrid Electrolytes and their Application in Secondary Lithium-Metal Batteries

    KAUST Repository

    Lu, Yingying; Das, Shyamal K.; Moganty, Surya S.; Archer, Lynden A.

    2012-01-01

    Ionic liquid-tethered nanoparticle hybrid electrolytes comprised of silica nanoparticles densely grafted with imidazolium-based ionic liquid chains are shown to retard lithium dendrite growth in rechargeable batteries with metallic lithium anodes

  15. A new class of solid oxide metal-air redox batteries for advanced stationary energy storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Xuan

    Cost-effective and large-scale energy storage technologies are a key enabler of grid modernization. Among energy storage technologies currently being researched, developed and deployed, rechargeable batteries are unique and important that can offer a myriad of advantages over the conventional large scale siting- and geography- constrained pumped-hydro and compressed-air energy storage systems. However, current rechargeable batteries still need many breakthroughs in material optimization and system design to become commercially viable for stationary energy storage. This PhD research project investigates the energy storage characteristics of a new class of rechargeable solid oxide metal-air redox batteries (SOMARBs) that combines a regenerative solid oxide fuel cell (RSOFC) and hydrogen chemical-looping component. The RSOFC serves as the "electrical functioning unit", alternating between the fuel cell and electrolysis mode to realize discharge and charge cycles, respectively, while the hydrogen chemical-looping component functions as an energy storage unit (ESU), performing electrical-chemical energy conversion in situ via a H2/H2O-mediated metal/metal oxide redox reaction. One of the distinctive features of the new battery from conventional storage batteries is the ESU that is physically separated from the electrodes of RSOFC, allowing it to freely expand and contract without impacting the mechanical integrity of the entire battery structure. This feature also allows an easy switch in the chemistry of this battery. The materials selection for ESU is critical to energy capacity, round-trip efficiency and cost effectiveness of the new battery. Me-MeOx redox couples with favorable thermodynamics and kinetics are highly preferable. The preliminary theoretical analysis suggests that Fe-based redox couples can be a promising candidate for operating at both high and low temperatures. Therefore, the Fe-based redox-couple systems have been selected as the baseline for this

  16. Cell Concepts of Metal-Sulfur Batteries (Metal = Li, Na, K, Mg): Strategies for Using Sulfur in Energy Storage Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medenbach, Lukas; Adelhelm, Philipp

    2017-09-29

    There is great interest in using sulfur as active component in rechargeable batteries thanks to its low cost and high specific charge (1672 mAh/g). The electrochemistry of sulfur, however, is complex and cell concepts are required, which differ from conventional designs. This review summarizes different strategies for utilizing sulfur in rechargeable batteries among membrane concepts, polysulfide concepts, all-solid-state concepts as well as high-temperature systems. Among the more popular lithium-sulfur and sodium-sulfur batteries, we also comment on recent results on potassium-sulfur and magnesium-sulfur batteries. Moreover, specific properties related to the type of light metal are discussed.

  17. High-energy redox-flow batteries with hybrid metal foam electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Min-Sik; Lee, Nam-Jin; Lee, Seung-Wook; Kim, Ki Jae; Oh, Duk-Jin; Kim, Young-Jun

    2014-07-09

    A nonaqueous redox-flow battery employing [Co(bpy)3](+/2+) and [Fe(bpy)3](2+/3+) redox couples is proposed for use in large-scale energy-storage applications. We successfully demonstrate a redox-flow battery with a practical operating voltage of over 2.1 V and an energy efficiency of 85% through a rational cell design. By utilizing carbon-coated Ni-FeCrAl and Cu metal foam electrodes, the electrochemical reactivity and stability of the nonaqueous redox-flow battery can be considerably enhanced. Our approach intoduces a more efficient conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy and enhances long-term cell durability. The cell exhibits an outstanding cyclic performance of more than 300 cycles without any significant loss of energy efficiency. Considering the increasing demands for efficient energy storage, our achievement provides insight into a possible development pathway for nonaqueous redox-flow batteries with high energy densities.

  18. Spent lithium-ion battery recycling - Reductive ammonia leaching of metals from cathode scrap by sodium sulphite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Xiaohong; Gao, Wenfang; Zhang, Xihua; He, Mingming; Lin, Xiao; Cao, Hongbin; Zhang, Yi; Sun, Zhi

    2017-02-01

    Recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries has attracted wide attention because of their high content of valuable and hazardous metals. One of the difficulties for effective metal recovery is the separation of different metals from the solution after leaching. In this research, a full hydrometallurgical process is developed to selectively recover valuable metals (Ni, Co and Li) from cathode scrap of spent lithium ion batteries. By introducing ammonia-ammonium sulphate as the leaching solution and sodium sulphite as the reductant, the total selectivity of Ni, Co and Li in the first-step leaching solution is more than 98.6% while it for Mn is only 1.36%. In detail understanding of the selective leaching process is carried out by investigating the effects of parameters such as leaching reagent composition, leaching time (0-480min), agitation speed (200-700rpm), pulp density (10-50g/L) and temperature (323-353K). It was found that Mn is primarily reduced from Mn 4+ into Mn 2+ into the solution as [Formula: see text] while it subsequently precipitates out into the residue in the form of (NH 4 ) 2 Mn(SO 3 ) 2 ·H 2 O. Ni, Co and Li are leached and remain in the solution either as metallic ion or amine complexes. The optimised leaching conditions can be further obtained and the leaching kinetics is found to be chemical reaction control under current leaching conditions. As a result, this research is potentially beneficial for further optimisation of the spent lithium ion battery recycling process after incorporating with metal extraction from the leaching solution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Progress and recent developments in sodium, metal chloride batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ratnakumar, B.V.; Attia, A.I.; Halpert, G.

    1991-01-01

    A new class of rechargeable sodium batteries emerged in the last decade mainly due to the efforts in South Africa and the United Kingdom. These systems include solid transition metal chlorides in sodium tetrachloroaluminates as cathodes. Significant developments have been made on two systems, i.e., Na/NiCl 2 and Na/FeCl 2 ; high energy densities of the order of 130 Wh/Kg have been demonstrated at the cell level both with FeCl 2 and NiCl 2 cathodes. Long cycle life of over 2000 cycles was demonstrated with NiCl 2 , especially with a sulfur additive to the electrolyte to retain the sintered structure of the NiCl 2 electrode. Various environmental and safety tests have been successfully performed on the cells. Scale up efforts resulted in cells of 40 - 100 Ah, which were evaluated in an electric vehicle application. Additionally, it appears from a recent evaluation study carried out by European Space Agency on Na/NiCl 2 for GEO and LEO applications that energy densities of the order of 120 Wh/Kg and 100 Wh/Kg respectively at the cell level are feasible and long cycle lives (beyond 2800 cycles are possible). Several fundamental and developmental studies have been carried out at other laboratories aimed at understanding the reaction mechanisms, determining the kinetics and identifying various rate governing processes, and screening various other metal chlorides. Finally, the specific energies and especially the power densities projected for Na/FeCl 2 and Na/NiCl 2 systems based on alternate designs for beta alumina solid electrolyte, i.e., multiple tubes and flat plates are very attractive for electric vehicle and space applications. In this paper, the authors propose to present a detailed account of the developments made hither to as well as the key research issues being addressed in the sodium - metal chloride battery technology

  20. Structure-Property of Metal Organic Frameworks Calcium Terephthalates Anodes for Lithium-ion Batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Liping; Mou, Chengxu; Sun, Yang; Liu, Wei; Deng, Qijiu; Li, Jingze

    2015-01-01

    Graphical Abstract: Effects of hydration water in calcium terephthalates anodes on the structure, operational voltage and electrochemical performance are systematically studied. Display Omitted -- Highlights: •Metal organic frameworks CaC 8 H 4 O 4 ·3H 2 O and CaC 8 H 4 O 4 are applied as anodes for lithium ion batteries. •Appearance of hydration water leads different crystallography structures and electrochemical performance. •Anhydrous CaC 8 H 4 O 4 has a spacious ordered layer structure, a higher Ca-O chemical bonding interaction and a higher transparent lithium ion diffusion coefficient, delivering a higher capacity, better cycling performance and rate performance than CaC 8 H 4 O 4 ·3H 2 O. -- Abstract: Metal organic frameworks have attracted considerable interest as electrode materials for lithium ion batteries. In this paper, the metal organic frameworks hydrated calcium terephthalate (CaC 8 H 4 O 4 ·3H 2 O) and anhydrous calcium terephthalate (CaC 8 H 4 O 4 ) as anodes for lithium ion batteries are comparatively studied. Crystallography and local chemical bond analysis are combined to interpret the structure-property of calcium terephthalates. Results show that the anhydrous CaC 8 H 4 O 4 has a spacious ordered layer structure and a higher Ca-O chemical bonding interaction, delivering a higher capacity, better cycling performance and rate performance than CaC 8 H 4 O 4 ·3H 2 O

  1. The Incorporation of Lithium Alloying Metals into Carbon Matrices for Lithium Ion Battery Anodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hays, Kevin A.

    An increased interest in renewable energies and alternative fuels has led to recognition of the necessity of wide scale adoption of the electric vehicle. Automotive manufacturers have striven to produce an electric vehicle that can match the range of their petroleum-fueled counterparts. However, the state-of-the-art lithium ion batteries used to power the current offerings still do not come close to the necessary energy density. The energy and power densities of the lithium ion batteries must be increased significantly if they are going to make electric vehicles a viable option. The chemistry of the lithium ion battery, based on lithium cobalt oxide cathodes and graphite anodes, is limited by the amount of lithium the cathode can provide and the anode will accept. While these materials have proven themselves in portable electronics over the past two decades, plausible higher energy alternatives do exist. The focus is of this study is on anode materials that could achieve a capacity of more than 3 times greater than that of graphite anodes. The lithium alloying anode materials investigated and reported herein include tin, arsenic, and gallium arsenide. These metals were synthesized with nanoscale dimensions, improving their electrochemical and mechanical properties. Each exhibits their own benefits and challenges, but all display opportunities for incorporation in lithium ion batteries. Tin is incorporated in multilayer graphene nanoshells by introducing small amounts of metal in the core and, separately, on the outside of these spheres. Electrolyte decomposition on the anode limits cycle life of the tin cores, however, tin vii oxides introduced outside of the multilayer graphene nanoshells have greatly improved long term battery performance. Arsenic is a lithium alloying metal that has largely been ignored by the research community to date. One of the first long term battery performance tests of arsenic is reported in this thesis. Anodes were made from nanoscale

  2. Ionic Liquid-Nanoparticle Hybrid Electrolytes and their Application in Secondary Lithium-Metal Batteries

    KAUST Repository

    Lu, Yingying

    2012-07-12

    Ionic liquid-tethered nanoparticle hybrid electrolytes comprised of silica nanoparticles densely grafted with imidazolium-based ionic liquid chains are shown to retard lithium dendrite growth in rechargeable batteries with metallic lithium anodes. The electrolytes are demonstrated in full cell studies using both high-energy Li/MoS2 and high-power Li/TiO2 secondary batteries. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Monitoring the solid-state electrochemistry of Cu(2,7-AQDC) (AQDC = anthraquinone dicarboxylate) in a lithium battery: coexistence of metal and ligand redox activities in a metal-organic framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhongyue; Yoshikawa, Hirofumi; Awaga, Kunio

    2014-11-19

    By adopting a facile synthetic strategy, we obtained a microporous redox-active metal-organic framework (MOF), namely, Cu(2,7-AQDC) (2,7-H2AQDC = 2,7-anthraquinonedicarboxylic acid) (1), and utilized it as a cathode active material in lithium batteries. With a voltage window of 4.0-1.7 V, both metal clusters and anthraquinone groups in the ligands exhibited reversible redox activity. The valence change of copper cations was clearly evidenced by in situ XANES analysis. By controlling the voltage window of operation, extremely high recyclability of batteries was achieved, suggesting the framework was robust. This MOF is the first example of a porous material showing independent redox activity on both metal cluster nodes and ligand sites.

  4. Recovery of metals from simulant spent lithium-ion battery as organophosphonate coordination polymers in aqueous media

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perez, Emilie; Andre, Marie-Laure; Navarro Amador, Ricardo [ICSM, Institut de Chimie Séparative de Marcoule, UMR 5257, CEA/CNRS/ENSCM/UM, Bât 426, BP 17171, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze cedex (France); Hyvrard, François; Borrini, Julien [SARPI VEOLIA, Direction Technique et Innovations, Zone portuaire de Limay-Porcheville, 427 route du Hazay, 78520 Limay (France); Carboni, Michaël, E-mail: michael.carboni@cea.fr [ICSM, Institut de Chimie Séparative de Marcoule, UMR 5257, CEA/CNRS/ENSCM/UM, Bât 426, BP 17171, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze cedex (France); Meyer, Daniel [ICSM, Institut de Chimie Séparative de Marcoule, UMR 5257, CEA/CNRS/ENSCM/UM, Bât 426, BP 17171, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze cedex (France)

    2016-11-05

    Highlights: • Original waste disposal strategies for battery. • Precipitation of metals as coordination polymers. • Organo-phosphonate coordination polymers. • Selective extraction of manganese or co-precipitation of manganese/cobalt. • The recycling process give a promising application on any waste solution. - Abstract: An innovative approach is proposed for the recycling of metals from a simulant lithium-ion battery (LIBs) waste aqueous solution. Phosphonate organic linkers are introduced as precipitating agents to selectively react with the metals to form coordination polymers from an aqueous solution containing Ni, Mn and Co in a hydrothermal process. The supernatant is analyzed by ICP-AES to quantify the efficiency and the selectivity of the precipitation and the materials are characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Powder X-Ray Diffraction (PXRD), Thermogravimetric Analyses (TGA) and nitrogen gas sorption (BET). Conditions have been achieved to selectively precipitate Manganese or Manganese/Cobalt from this solution with a high efficiency. This work describes a novel method to obtain potentially valuable coordination polymers from a waste metal solution that can be generalized on any waste solution.

  5. Metal hydride compositions and lithium ion batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Young, Kwo; Nei, Jean

    2018-04-24

    Heterogeneous metal hydride (MH) compositions comprising a main region comprising a first metal hydride and a secondary region comprising one or more additional components selected from the group consisting of second metal hydrides, metals, metal alloys and further metal compounds are suitable as anode materials for lithium ion cells. The first metal hydride is for example MgH.sub.2. Methods for preparing the composition include coating, mechanical grinding, sintering, heat treatment and quenching techniques.

  6. Hydrogen-absorbing alloys for the nickel-metal hydride battery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mingming Geng; Jianwen Han; Feng Feng [University of Windsor, Ontario (Canada). Mechanical and Materials Engineering; Northwood, D.O. [University of Windsor, Ontario (Canada). Mechanical and Materials Engineering]|[Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto (Canada)

    1998-12-31

    In recent years, owing to the rapid development of portable electronic and electrical appliances, the market for rechargeable batteries has increased at a high rate. The nickel-metal hydride battery (Ni/MH) is one of the more promising types, because of its high capacity, high-rate charge/discharge capability and non-polluting nature. This type of battery uses a hydrogen storage alloy as its negative electrode. The characteristics of the Ni/MH battery, including discharge voltage, high-rate discharge capability and charge/discharge cycle lifetime are mainly determined by the construction of the negative electrode and the composition of the hydrogen-absorbing alloy. The negative electrode of the Ni/MH battery described in this paper was made from a mixture of hydrogen-absorbing alloy, nickel powder and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). A multicomponent MmNi{sub 5}-based alloy (Mm{sub 0.95}Ti{sub 0.05}Ni{sub 3.85} Co{sub 0.45}Mn{sub 0.35}Al{sub 0.35}) was used as the hydrogen-absorbing alloy. The discharge characteristics of the negative electrode, including discharge capacity, cycle lifetime, and polarization overpotential, were studied by means of electrochemical experiments and analysis. The decay of the discharge capacity for the Ni/MH battery (AA size, 1 Ah) was about 1% after 100 charge/discharge cycles and 10% after 500 charge/discharge cycles. (author)

  7. Alkali metal ion battery with bimetallic electrode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boysen, Dane A; Bradwell, David J; Jiang, Kai; Kim, Hojong; Ortiz, Luis A; Sadoway, Donald R; Tomaszowska, Alina A; Wei, Weifeng; Wang, Kangli

    2015-04-07

    Electrochemical cells having molten electrodes having an alkali metal provide receipt and delivery of power by transporting atoms of the alkali metal between electrode environments of disparate chemical potentials through an electrochemical pathway comprising a salt of the alkali metal. The chemical potential of the alkali metal is decreased when combined with one or more non-alkali metals, thus producing a voltage between an electrode comprising the molten the alkali metal and the electrode comprising the combined alkali/non-alkali metals.

  8. All-solid-state lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries - paving the way to large-scale production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnell, Joscha; Günther, Till; Knoche, Thomas; Vieider, Christoph; Köhler, Larissa; Just, Alexander; Keller, Marlou; Passerini, Stefano; Reinhart, Gunther

    2018-04-01

    Challenges and requirements for the large-scale production of all-solid-state lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries are herein evaluated via workshops with experts from renowned research institutes, material suppliers, and automotive manufacturers. Aiming to bridge the gap between materials research and industrial mass production, possible solutions for the production chains of sulfide and oxide based all-solid-state batteries from electrode fabrication to cell assembly and quality control are presented. Based on these findings, a detailed comparison of the production processes for a sulfide based all-solid-state battery with conventional lithium-ion cell production is given, showing that processes for composite electrode fabrication can be adapted with some effort, while the fabrication of the solid electrolyte separator layer and the integration of a lithium metal anode will require completely new processes. This work identifies the major steps towards mass production of all-solid-state batteries, giving insight into promising manufacturing technologies and helping stakeholders, such as machine engineering, cell producers, and original equipment manufacturers, to plan the next steps towards safer batteries with increased storage capacity.

  9. Metallic taste from electrical and chemical stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawless, Harry T; Stevens, David A; Chapman, Kathryn W; Kurtz, Anne

    2005-03-01

    A series of three experiments investigated the nature of metallic taste reports after stimulation with solutions of metal salts and after stimulation with metals and electric currents. To stimulate with electricity, a device was fabricated consisting of a small battery affixed to a plastic handle with the anode side exposed for placement on the tongue or oral tissues. Intensity of taste from metals and batteries was dependent upon the voltage and was more robust in areas dense in fungiform papillae. Metallic taste was reported from stimulation with ferrous sulfate solutions, from metals and from electric stimuli. However, reports of metallic taste were more frequent when the word 'metallic' was presented embedded in a list of choices, as opposed to simple free-choice labeling. Intensity decreased for ferrous sulfate when the nose was occluded, consistent with a decrease in retronasal smell, as previously reported. Intensity of taste evoked by copper metal, bimetallic stimuli (zinc/copper) or small batteries (1.5-3 V) was not affected by nasal occlusion. This difference suggests two distinct mechanisms for evocation of metallic taste reports, one dependent upon retronasal smell and a second mediated by oral chemoreceptors.

  10. General access to metal oxide (Metal = Mn, Co, Ni) double-layer nanospheres for application in lithium ion batteries and supercapacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia, Yuan; Wang, Gang; Zhang, Xing; Wang, Beibei; Wang, Hui

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A series of metal oxide double layer nanospheres were prepared. • The obtained materials show excellent performances in lithium ion batteries and supercapacitors. • The unique structure of double layers is beneficial for superior electrochemical performances. - Abstract: In this work, a series of metal oxide double-layer nanospheres (DLNs), such as Mn 2 O 3 , Co 3 O 4 , NiO, NiCo 2 O 4 , and MnCo 2 O 4 have been successfully synthesized through a general template method. The layers of nanospheres were assembled by different nanostructure units and the removing of the SiO 2 template formed a void of several ten nanometers between the double layers, resulting large specific surface areas for them. The energy storage performances of the as-prepared double-layer nanospheres were further investigated in lithium ion battery and supercapacitor systems. Based on their unique nanostructures, the double-layer nanospheres exhibit excellent electrochemical performance with long cycle stability and high specific capacities or capacitances. The best of these, DLNs-NiCo 2 O 4 can deliver a reversible capacity of 1107 mAh g −1 at 0.25C after 200 cycles in lithium ion battery system, and shows a capacitance of 1088 F g −1 with capacitance loss of less than 3% at 5 A g −1 after 5000 cycles in supercapacitors.

  11. 2D MoS2 as an efficient protective layer for lithium metal anodes in high-performance Li-S batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cha, Eunho; Patel, Mumukshu D.; Park, Juhong; Hwang, Jeongwoon; Prasad, Vish; Cho, Kyeongjae; Choi, Wonbong

    2018-04-01

    Among the candidates to replace Li-ion batteries, Li-S cells are an attractive option as their energy density is about five times higher ( 2,600 Wh kg-1). The success of Li-S cells depends in large part on the utilization of metallic Li as anode material. Metallic lithium, however, is prone to grow parasitic dendrites and is highly reactive to several electrolytes; moreover, Li-S cells with metallic Li are also susceptible to polysulfides dissolution. Here, we show that 10-nm-thick two-dimensional (2D) MoS2 can act as a protective layer for Li-metal anodes, greatly improving the performances of Li-S batteries. In particular, we observe stable Li electrodeposition and the suppression of dendrite nucleation sites. The deposition and dissolution process of a symmetric MoS2-coated Li-metal cell operates at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 with low voltage hysteresis and a threefold improvement in cycle life compared with using bare Li-metal. In a Li-S full-cell configuration, using the MoS2-coated Li as anode and a 3D carbon nanotube-sulfur cathode, we obtain a specific energy density of 589 Wh kg-1 and a Coulombic efficiency of 98% for over 1,200 cycles at 0.5 C. Our approach could lead to the realization of high energy density and safe Li-metal-based batteries.

  12. Current status of environmental, health, and safety issues of nickel metal-hydride batteries for electric vehicles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Corbus, D; Hammel, C J; Mark, J

    1993-08-01

    This report identifies important environment, health, and safety issues associated with nickel metal-hydride (Ni-MH) batteries and assesses the need for further testing and analysis. Among the issues discussed are cell and battery safety, workplace health and safety, shipping requirements, and in-vehicle safety. The manufacture and recycling of Ni-MH batteries are also examined. This report also overviews the ``FH&S`` issues associated with other nickel-based electric vehicle batteries; it examines venting characteristics, toxicity of battery materials, and the status of spent batteries as a hazardous waste.

  13. Current status of environmental, health, and safety issues of nickel metal-hydride batteries for electric vehicles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Corbus, D.; Hammel, C.J.; Mark, J.

    1993-08-01

    This report identifies important environment, health, and safety issues associated with nickel metal-hydride (Ni-MH) batteries and assesses the need for further testing and analysis. Among the issues discussed are cell and battery safety, workplace health and safety, shipping requirements, and in-vehicle safety. The manufacture and recycling of Ni-MH batteries are also examined. This report also overviews the ''FH ampersand S'' issues associated with other nickel-based electric vehicle batteries; it examines venting characteristics, toxicity of battery materials, and the status of spent batteries as a hazardous waste

  14. Electrolyte additives for lithium metal anodes and rechargeable lithium metal batteries: progresses and perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Heng; Eshetu, Gebrekidan Gebresilassie; Judez, Xabier; Li, Chunmei; Rodriguez-Martínez, Lide M; Armand, Michel

    2018-02-14

    Lithium metal (Li°) - based rechargeable batteries (LMBs), such as Li° anode vs. intercalation and/or conversion type cathode batteries, lithium-sulphur (Li-S), and lithium-oxygen (O2)/air (Li-O2/air) are becoming increasingly important for electrifying the modern transportation system, enabling sustainable mobility in the near future. Though some rechargeable LMBs batteries (e.g., Li°/LiFePO4 batteries from Bolloré Bluecar®, Li-S batteries from OXIS Energy and Sion Power) are already commercially viable in niche applications, their large-scale deployment is still hampered due to the existence of a number of formidable challenges, including lithium dendrite growth, electrolyte instability towards high voltage intercalation type cathode, poor electronic and ionic conductivities of sulphur (S8) and O2, as well as their corresponding reduction products (e.g., Li2S and Li2O), dissolution and shuttling of polysulphide (PS) intermediates etc. This ultimately results in short cycle life, low coulombic/energy efficiency, poor safety, and a high self-discharge rate. Among other mitigating strategies, the use of electrolyte additives is considered as one of the most economical, and effective approach for circumventing these dilemmas. Set out to offer an in-depth insight into the rapidly growing research on the account of electrolyte additives for rechargeable LMBs, this review presents an overview of the various functional additives, that are being applied in Li-anode/intercalation cathode-based, Li-S and Li-O2 batteries. This review is believed to assess the status quo of the research and thereby arouse new thoughts and opportunities, opening new avenues for the practical realization of these appealing devices. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Metal-air batteries with high energy density: Li-air versus Zn-air

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Jang-Soo; Sun, Tai Kim; Cao, Ruiguo; Choi, Nam-Soon; Lee, Kyu Tae; Cho, Jaephil [Interdisciplinary School of Green Energy, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan (Korea, Republic of); Liu, Meilin [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

    2011-01-01

    In the past decade, there have been exciting developments in the field of lithium ion batteries as energy storage devices, resulting in the application of lithium ion batteries in areas ranging from small portable electric devices to large power systems such as hybrid electric vehicles. However, the maximum energy density of current lithium ion batteries having topatactic chemistry is not sufficient to meet the demands of new markets in such areas as electric vehicles. Therefore, new electrochemical systems with higher energy densities are being sought, and metal-air batteries with conversion chemistry are considered a promising candidate. More recently, promising electrochemical performance has driven much research interest in Li-air and Zn-air batteries. This review provides an overview of the fundamentals and recent progress in the area of Li-air and Zn-air batteries, with the aim of providing a better understanding of the new electrochemical systems. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  16. An in situ method of creating metal oxide–carbon composites and their application as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

    KAUST Repository

    Yang, Zichao; Shen, Jingguo; Archer, Lynden A.

    2011-01-01

    Transition metal oxides are actively investigated as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), and their nanocomposites with carbon frequently show better performance in galvanostatic cycling studies, compared to the pristine metal oxide

  17. Solid state cathode materials for secondary magnesium-ion batteries that are compatible with magnesium metal anodes in water-free electrolyte

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crowe, Adam J.; Bartlett, Bart M.

    2016-01-01

    With high elemental abundance, large volumetric capacity, and dendrite-free metal deposition, magnesium metal anodes offer promise in beyond-lithium-ion batteries. However, the increased charge density associated with the divalent magnesium-ion (Mg 2+ ), relative to lithium-ion (Li + ) hinders the ion-insertion and extraction processes within many materials and structures known for lithium-ion cathodes. As a result, many recent investigations incorporate known amounts of water within the electrolyte to provide temporary solvation of the Mg 2+ , improving diffusion kinetics. Unfortunately with the addition of water, compatibility with magnesium metal anodes disappears due to forming an ion-insulating passivating layer. In this short review, recent advances in solid state cathode materials for rechargeable magnesium-ion batteries are highlighted, with a focus on cathode materials that do not require water contaminated electrolyte solutions for ion insertion and extraction processes. - Graphical abstract: In this short review, we present candidate materials for reversible Mg-battery cathodes that are compatible with magnesium metal in water-free electrolytes. The data suggest that soft, polarizable anions are required for reversible cycling.

  18. Electrochemical investigations and characterization of a metal hydride alloy (MmNi3.6Al0.4Co0.7Mn0.3) for nickel metal hydride batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Begum, S. Nathira; Muralidharan, V.S.; Basha, C. Ahmed

    2009-01-01

    The use of new hydrogen absorbing alloys as negative electrodes in rechargeable batteries has allowed the consideration of nickel/metal hydride (Ni/MH) batteries to replace the conventional nickel cadmium alkaline or lead acid batteries. In this study the performance of trisubstituted hydrogen storage alloy (MmNi 3.6 Al 0.4 Co 0.7 Mn 0.3 ) electrodes used as anodes in Ni/MH secondary batteries were evaluated. MH electrodes were prepared and the electrochemical utilization of the active material was investigated. Cyclic voltammetric technique was used to analyze the beneficial effect of the alloy by various substitutions. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurements of the Ni/MH battery were made at various states of depth of discharge. The effect of temperature on specific capacity is studied and specific capacity as a function of discharge current density was also studied and the results were analyzed. The alloy metal hydride electrode was subjected to charge/discharge cycle for more than 200 cycles. The discharge capacities of the alloy remains at 250 mAh/g with a nominal fading in capacity (to the extent of ∼20 mAh/g) on prolonged cycling

  19. Analysis of Pressure Variations in a Low-Pressure Nickel-Hydrogen Battery- Part 2: Cells with Metal Hydride Storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purushothaman, B K; Wainright, J S

    2012-05-15

    A sub-atmospheric pressure nickel hydrogen (Ni-H(2)) battery with metal hydride for hydrogen storage is developed for implantable neuroprosthetic devices. Pressure variations during charge and discharge of the cell are analyzed at different states of charge and are found to follow the desorption curve of the pressure composition isotherm (PCI) of the metal hydride. The measured pressure agreed well with the calculated theoretical pressure based on the PCI and is used to predict the state of charge of the battery. Hydrogen equilibration with the metal hydride during charge/discharge cycling is fast when the pressure is in the range from 8 to 13 psia and slower in the range from 6 to 8 psia. The time constant for the slower hydrogen equilibration, 1.37h, is similar to the time constant for oxygen recombination and therefore pressure changes due to different mechanisms are difficult to estimate. The self-discharge rate of the cell with metal hydride is two times lower in comparison to the cell with gaseous hydrogen storage alone and is a result of the lower pressure in the cell when the metal hydride is used.

  20. Hydrometallurgical separation of rare earth elements, cobalt and nickel from spent nickel-metal-hydride batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues, Luiz Eduardo Oliveira Carmo; Mansur, Marcelo Borges

    The separation of rare earth elements, cobalt and nickel from NiMH battery residues is evaluated in this paper. Analysis of the internal content of the NiMH batteries shows that nickel is the main metal present in the residue (around 50% in weight), as well as potassium (2.2-10.9%), cobalt (5.1-5.5%), rare earth elements (15.3-29.0%) and cadmium (2.8%). The presence of cadmium reveals that some Ni-Cd batteries are possibly labeled as NiMH ones. The leaching of nickel and cobalt from the NiMH battery powder with sulfuric acid is efficient; operating variables temperature and concentration of H 2O 2 has no significant effect for the conditions studied. A mixture of rare earth elements is separated by precipitation with NaOH. Finally, solvent extraction with D2EHPA (di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid) followed by Cyanex 272 (bis-2,4,4-trimethylpentyl phosphinic acid) can separate cadmium, cobalt and nickel from the leach liquor. The effect of the main operating variables of both leaching and solvent extraction steps are discussed aiming to maximize metal separation for recycling purposes.

  1. Combinatorial electrochemical cell array for high throughput screening of micro-fuel-cells and metal/air batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Rongzhong

    2007-07-01

    An electrochemical cell array was designed that contains a common air electrode and 16 microanodes for high throughput screening of both fuel cells (based on polymer electrolyte membrane) and metal/air batteries (based on liquid electrolyte). Electrode materials can easily be coated on the anodes of the electrochemical cell array and screened by switching a graphite probe from one cell to the others. The electrochemical cell array was used to study direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), including high throughput screening of electrode catalysts and determination of optimum operating conditions. For screening of DMFCs, there is about 6% relative standard deviation (percentage of standard deviation versus mean value) for discharge current from 10 to 20 mAcm(2). The electrochemical cell array was also used to study tin/air batteries. The effect of Cu content in the anode electrode on the discharge performance of the tin/air battery was investigated. The relative standard deviations for screening of metal/air battery (based on zinc/air) are 2.4%, 3.6%, and 5.1% for discharge current at 50, 100, and 150 mAcm(2), respectively.

  2. General Synthesis of Transition-Metal Oxide Hollow Nanospheres/Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Hybrids by Metal-Ammine Complex Chemistry for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jiayuan; Wu, Xiaofeng; Gong, Yan; Wang, Pengfei; Li, Wenhui; Mo, Shengpeng; Peng, Shengpan; Tan, Qiangqiang; Chen, Yunfa

    2018-02-09

    We present a general and facile synthesis strategy, on the basis of metal-ammine complex chemistry, for synthesizing hollow transition-metal oxides (Co 3 O 4 , NiO, CuO-Cu 2 O, and ZnO)/nitrogen-doped graphene hybrids, potentially applied in high-performance lithium-ion batteries. The oxygen-containing functional groups of graphene oxide play a prerequisite role in the formation of hollow transition-metal oxides on graphene nanosheets, and a significant hollowing process occurs only when forming metal (Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Cu 2+ , or Zn 2+ )-ammine complex ions. Moreover, the hollowing process is well correlated with the complexing capacity between metal ions and NH 3 molecules. The significant hollowing process occurs for strong metal-ammine complex ions including Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Cu 2+ , and Zn 2+ ions, and no hollow structures formed for weak and/or noncomplex Mn 2+ and Fe 3+ ions. Simultaneously, this novel strategy can also achieve the direct doping of nitrogen atoms into the graphene framework. The electrochemical performance of two typical hollow Co 3 O 4 or NiO/nitrogen-doped graphene hybrids was evaluated by their use as anodic materials. It was demonstrated that these unique nanostructured hybrids, in contrast with the bare counterparts, solid transition-metal oxides/nitrogen-doped graphene hybrids, perform with significantly improved specific capacity, superior rate capability, and excellent capacity retention. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Acquisition of Co metal from spent lithium-ion battery using emulsion liquid membrane technology and emulsion stability test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuliusman; Wulandari, P. T.; Amiliana, R. A.; Huda, M.; Kusumadewi, F. A.

    2018-03-01

    Lithium-ion batteries are the most common type to be used as energy source in mobile phone. The amount of lithium-ion battery wastes is approximated by 200 – 500 ton/year. In one lithium-ion battery, there are 5 – 20% of cobalt metal, depend on the manufacturer. One of the way to recover a valuable metal from waste is leaching process then continued with extraction, which is the aim of this study. Spent lithium-ion batteries will be characterized with EDX and AAS, the result will show the amount of cobalt metal with form of LiCoO2 in the cathode. Hydrochloric acid concentration used is 4 M, temperature 80°C, and reaction time 1 hour. This study will discuss the emulsion stability test on emulsion liquid membrane. The purpose of emulsion stability test in this study was to determine optimum concentration of surfactant and extractant to produce a stable emulsion. Surfactant and extractant used were SPAN 80 and Cyanex 272 respectively with both concentrations varied. Membrane and feed phase ratios used in this experiment was 1 : 2. The optimum results of this study were SPAN 80 concentrations of 10% w/v and Cyanex 272 0.7 M.

  4. The role of transition metal interfaces on the electronic transport in lithium–air batteries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chen, Jingzhe; Hummelshøj, Jens S.; Thygesen, Kristian Sommer

    2011-01-01

    Low electronic conduction is expected to be a main limiting factor in the performance of reversible lithium–air, Li–O2, batteries. Here, we apply density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green's function calculations to determine the electronic transport through lithium peroxide, Li2O2, formed...... at the cathode during battery discharge. We find the transport to depend on the orientation and lattice matching of the insulator–metal interface in the presence of Au and Pt catalysts. Bulk lithium vacancies are found to be available and mobile under battery charging conditions, and found to pin the Fermi level...

  5. An in situ method of creating metal oxide–carbon composites and their application as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

    KAUST Repository

    Yang, Zichao

    2011-01-01

    Transition metal oxides are actively investigated as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), and their nanocomposites with carbon frequently show better performance in galvanostatic cycling studies, compared to the pristine metal oxide. An in situ, scalable method for creating a variety of transition metal oxide-carbon nanocomposites has been developed based on free-radical polymerization and cross-linking of poly(acrylonitrile) in the presence of the metal oxide precursor containing vinyl groups. The approach yields a cross-linked polymer network, which uniformly incorporates nanometre-sized transition metal oxide particles. Thermal treatment of the organic-inorganic hybrid material produces nearly monodisperse metal oxide nanoparticles uniformly embedded in a porous carbon matrix. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic cycling electrochemical measurements in a lithium half-cell are used to evaluate the electrochemical properties of a Fe3O 4-carbon composite created using this approach. These measurements reveal that when used as the anode in a lithium battery, the material exhibits stable cycling performance at both low and high current densities. We further show that the polymer/nanoparticle copolymerization approach can be readily adapted to synthesize metal oxide/carbon nanocomposites based on different particle chemistries for applications in both the anode and cathode of LIBs. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  6. Health risk assessment of heavy metals in vegetables grown around battery production area

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying Chen

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Battery production is one of the main sources of heavy metals that present great harm to human health even in low concentrations. Chromium (Cr, Cadmium (Cd and Lead (Pb were measured in edible portions of vegetables and soils around a battery production area in China, and the potential health risk of heavy metal contamination to the local population via vegetable consumption was evaluated. Their concentrations in edible portions of vegetables were 2.354 (0.078-14.878, 0.035 (0.003-0.230 and 0.039 (0.003-0.178 mg kg-1, respectively. Approximately 3 % of the Cd in the vegetable samples exceeded the maximum concentration allowable by national food safety criteria, although Pb content in all samples were within the criteria. Transfer factors (TF from soils to vegetables were dependent on vegetable species. Leguminous vegetables were more likely to accumulate Cr, while leaf vegetables tended to show higher levels of concentration of Cd and Pb. Melon vegetables demonstrated a relatively low capacity for accumulating the heavy metals studied. TF were positively correlated with soil organic matter and negatively correlated with soil pH. The mean estimated daily intake of Cr, Cd and Pb via dietary consumption of vegetables was 0.011, 1.65 × 10-4 and 1.84 × 10-4 mg kg-1 of body weight per day, respectively, levels that were much lower than the reference doses recommended by USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, indicating that the potential health risk of Cr, Cd and Pb exposure via vegetable consumption to the local population around this battery production area could be negligible.

  7. Tuning the Morphology of Li2O2 by Noble and 3d metals: A Planar Model Electrode Study for Li-O2 Battery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yao; Liu, Wei; Wu, Nian; Wang, Xiaochen; Zhang, Tao; Chen, Linfeng; Zeng, Rui; Wang, Yingming; Lu, Juntao; Fu, Lei; Xiao, Li; Zhuang, Lin

    2017-06-14

    In this work, a planar model electrode method has been used to investigate the structure-activity relationship of multiple noble and 3d metal catalysts for the cathode reaction of Li-O 2 battery. The result shows that the battery performance (discharge/charge overpotential) strongly depends not only on the type of catalysts but also on the morphology of the discharge product (Li 2 O 2 ). Specifically, according to electrochemical characterization and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation, noble metals (Pd, Pt, Ru, Ir, and Au) show excellent battery performance (smaller discharge/charge overpotential), with wormlike Li 2 O 2 particles with size less than 200 nm on their surfaces. On the other hand, 3d metals (Fe, Co, Ni, and Mn) offered poor battery performance (larger discharge/charge overpotential), with much larger Li 2 O 2 particles (1 μm to a few microns) on their surfaces after discharging. Further research shows that a "volcano plot" is found by correlating the discharging/charging plateau voltage with the adsorption energy of LiO 2 on different metals. The metals with better battery performance and worm-like-shaped Li 2 O 2 are closer to the top of the "volcano", indicating adsorption energy of LiO 2 is one of the key characters for the catalyst to reach a good performance for the oxygen electrode of Li-O 2 battery, and it has a strong influence on the morphology of the discharge product on the electrode surface.

  8. A new battery capacity indicator for nickel-metal hydride battery powered electric vehicles using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chau, K.T.; Wu, K.C.; Chan, C.C.; Shen, W.X.

    2003-01-01

    This paper describes a new approach to estimate accurately the battery residual capacity (BRC) of the nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery for modern electric vehicles (EVs). The key to this approach is to model the Ni-MH battery in EVs by using the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with newly defined inputs and output. The inputs are the temperature and the discharged capacity distribution describing the discharge current profile, while the output is the state of available capacity (SOAC) representing the BRC. The estimated SOAC from ANFIS model and the measured SOAC from experiments are compared, and the results confirm that the proposed approach can provide an accurate estimation of the SOAC under variable discharge currents

  9. Health risk assessment of various metal(loid)s via multiple exposure pathways on children living near a typical lead-acid battery plant, China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao, Suzhen; Duan, Xiaoli; Zhao, Xiuge; Wang, Beibei; Ma, Jin; Fan, Delong; Sun, Chengye; He, Bin; Wei, Fusheng; Jiang, Guibin

    2015-01-01

    Manufacture of lead-acid batteries is of widespread interest because of its emissions of heavy metals and metalloids into environment, harming environmental quality and consequently causing detrimental effects on human health. In this study, exposure pathways and health risks of children to heavy metal(loid)s (Pb, Cd, As, etc) were investigated based on field sampling and questionnaire. Pb was one of the most abundant elements in children's blood, with an elevated blood lead level of 12.45 μg dL −1 . Soil/dust and food were heavily polluted by targeted metal(loid)s. Food ingestion accounted for more than 80% of the total exposure for most metal(loid)s. The non-cancer risks to children were 3–10 times higher than the acceptable level of 1, while the cancer risks were 5–200 times higher than the maximum acceptable level of 1.0 × 10 −4 . The study emphasized the significance of effective environmental management, particularly to ensure food security near battery facilities. - Highlights: • The health risks of children living around a typical lead-acid battery was analyzed. • The exposure pathways of children to 12 heavy metal(loid)s were assessed. • Courtyard soil and indoor dust and duplicate food were contaminated by metal(loid)s. • Food ingestion was the major pathway for children's exposure to most metal(loid)s. • Higher potentially non-cancer and cancer risks happened to the local children. - The children living around a typical lead-acid battery plant suffered from serious health risks, which mainly attributed to food ingestion and air inhalation exposure

  10. Development of nickel/metal-hydride batteries for EVs and HEVs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taniguchi, Akihiro; Fujioka, Noriyuki; Ikoma, Munehisa; Ohta, Akira

    This paper is to introduce the nickel/metal-hydride (Ni/MH) batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) developed and mass-produced by our company. EV-95 for EVs enables a vehicle to drive approximately 200 km per charge. As the specific power is extremely high, more than 200 W/kg at 80% depth of discharge (DOD), the acceleration performance is equivalent to that of gasoline fuel automobiles. The life characteristic is also superior. This battery gives the satisfactory result of more than 1000 cycles in bench tests and approximately 4-year on-board driving. EV-28 developed for small EVs comprises of a compact and light battery module with high specific power of 300 W/kg at 80% DOD by introducing a new technology for internal cell connection. Meanwhile, our cylindrical battery for the HEV was adopted into the first generation Toyota Prius in 1997 which is the world's first mass-product HEV, and has a high specific power of 600 W/kg. Its life characteristic was found to be equivalent to more than 100,000 km driving. Furthermore, a new prismatic module in which six cells are connected internally was used for the second generation Prius in 2000. The prismatic battery comprises of a compact and light battery pack with a high specific power of 1000 W/kg, which is approximately 1.7 times that of conventional cylindrical batteries, as a consequence of the development of a new internal cell connection and a new current collection structure.

  11. Highly reversible zinc metal anode for aqueous batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Fei; Borodin, Oleg; Gao, Tao; Fan, Xiulin; Sun, Wei; Han, Fudong; Faraone, Antonio; Dura, Joseph A.; Xu, Kang; Wang, Chunsheng

    2018-06-01

    Metallic zinc (Zn) has been regarded as an ideal anode material for aqueous batteries because of its high theoretical capacity (820 mA h g-1), low potential (-0.762 V versus the standard hydrogen electrode), high abundance, low toxicity and intrinsic safety. However, aqueous Zn chemistry persistently suffers from irreversibility issues, as exemplified by its low coulombic efficiency (CE) and dendrite growth during plating/ stripping, and sustained water consumption. In this work, we demonstrate that an aqueous electrolyte based on Zn and lithium salts at high concentrations is a very effective way to address these issues. This unique electrolyte not only enables dendrite-free Zn plating/stripping at nearly 100% CE, but also retains water in the open atmosphere, which makes hermetic cell configurations optional. These merits bring unprecedented flexibility and reversibility to Zn batteries using either LiMn2O4 or O2 cathodes—the former deliver 180 W h kg-1 while retaining 80% capacity for >4,000 cycles, and the latter deliver 300 W h kg-1 (1,000 W h kg-1 based on the cathode) for >200 cycles.

  12. Competing forces in liquid metal electrodes and batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashour, Rakan F.; Kelley, Douglas H.; Salas, Alejandro; Starace, Marco; Weber, Norbert; Weier, Tom

    2018-02-01

    Liquid metal batteries are proposed for low-cost grid scale energy storage. During their operation, solid intermetallic phases often form in the cathode and are known to limit the capacity of the cell. Fluid flow in the liquid electrodes can enhance mass transfer and reduce the formation of localized intermetallics, and fluid flow can be promoted by careful choice of the locations and topology of a battery's electrical connections. In this context we study four phenomena that drive flow: Rayleigh-Bénard convection, internally heated convection, electro-vortex flow, and swirl flow, in both experiment and simulation. In experiments, we use ultrasound Doppler velocimetry (UDV) to measure the flow in a eutectic PbBi electrode at 160 °C and subject to all four phenomena. In numerical simulations, we isolate the phenomena and simulate each separately using OpenFOAM. Comparing simulated velocities to experiments via a UDV beam model, we find that all four phenomena can enhance mass transfer in LMBs. We explain the flow direction, describe how the phenomena interact, and propose dimensionless numbers for estimating their mutual relevance. A brief discussion of electrical connections summarizes the engineering implications of our work.

  13. Prelithiation of silicon-carbon nanotube anodes for lithium ion batteries by stabilized lithium metal powder (SLMP).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forney, Michael W; Ganter, Matthew J; Staub, Jason W; Ridgley, Richard D; Landi, Brian J

    2013-09-11

    Stabilized lithium metal powder (SLMP) has been applied during battery assembly to effectively prelithiate high capacity (1500-2500 mAh/g) silicon-carbon nanotube (Si-CNT) anodes, eliminating the 20-40% first cycle irreversible capacity loss. Pressure-activation of SLMP is shown to enhance prelithiation and enable capacity matching between Si-CNT anodes and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA) cathodes in full batteries with minimal added mass. The prelithiation approach enables high energy density NCA/Si-CNT batteries achieving >1000 cycles at 20% depth-of-discharge.

  14. Ionic conductivity of metal oxides : an essential property for all-solid-state Lithium-ion batteries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chen, C.; Eichel, R.-A.; Notten, P.H.L.

    2017-01-01

    Essential progress has been made for adopting metal oxides (MeO) in various energy storage and energy conversion applications. Among these, utilizing MeO in Lithium-ions batteries (LIBs) seems to be one of the most promising applications. In particular, conductive Li-containing oxides or

  15. Metal-organic frameworks for lithium ion batteries and supercapacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ke, Fu-Sheng; Wu, Yu-Shan; Deng, Hexiang

    2015-01-01

    Porous materials have been widely used in batteries and supercapacitors attribute to their large internal surface area (usually 100–1000 m 2 g −1 ) and porosity that can favor the electrochemical reaction, interfacial charge transport, and provide short diffusion paths for ions. As a new type of porous crystalline materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have received huge attention in the past decade due to their unique properties, i.e. huge surface area (up to 7000 m 2 g −1 ), high porosity, low density, controllable structure and tunable pore size. A wide range of applications including gas separation, storage, catalysis, and drug delivery benefit from the recent fast development of MOFs. However, their potential in electrochemical energy storage has not been fully revealed. Herein, the present mini review appraises recent and significant development of MOFs and MOF-derived materials for rechargeable lithium ion batteries and supercapacitors, to give a glimpse into these potential applications of MOFs. - Graphical abstract: MOFs with large surface area and high porosity can offer more reaction sites and charge carriers diffusion path. Thus MOFs are used as cathode, anode, electrolyte, matrix and precursor materials for lithium ion battery, and also as electrode and precursor materials for supercapacitors. - Highlights: • MOFs have potential in electrochemical area due to their high porosity and diversity. • We summarized and compared works on MOFs for lithium ion battery and supercapacitor. • We pointed out critical challenges and provided possible solutions for future study

  16. Comprehensive evaluation on effective leaching of critical metals from spent lithium-ion batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Wenfang; Liu, Chenming; Cao, Hongbin; Zheng, Xiaohong; Lin, Xiao; Wang, Haijuan; Zhang, Yi; Sun, Zhi

    2018-05-01

    Recovery of metals from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has attracted worldwide attention because of issues from both environmental impacts and resource supply. Leaching, for instance using an acidic solution, is a critical step for effective recovery of metals from spent LIBs. To achieve both high leaching efficiency and selectivity of the targeted metals, improved understanding on the interactive features of the materials and leaching solutions is highly required. However, such understanding is still limited at least caused by the variation on physiochemical properties of different leaching solutions. In this research, a comprehensive investigation and evaluation on the leaching process using acidic solutions to recycle spent LIBs is carried out. Through analyzing two important parameters, i.e. leaching speed and recovery rate of the corresponding metals, the effects of hydrogen ion concentration, acid species and concentration on these two parameters were evaluated. It was found that a leachant with organic acids may leach Co and Li from the cathode scrap and leave Al foil as metallic form with high leaching selectivity, while that with inorganic acids typically leach all metals into the solution. Inconsistency between the leaching selectivity and efficiency during spent LIBs recycling is frequently noticed. In order to achieve an optimal status with both high leaching selectivity and efficiency (especially at high solid-to-liquid ratios), it is important to manipulate the average leaching speed and recovery rate of metals to optimize the leaching conditions. Subsequently, it is found that the leaching speed is significantly dependent on the hydrogen ion concentration and the capability of releasing hydrogen ions of the acidic leachant during leaching. With this research, it is expected to improve understanding on controlling the physiochemical properties of a leaching solution and to potentially design processes for spent LIBs recycling with high industrial

  17. Hydrogenation of the rare earth alloys for production negative electrodes of nickel-metal hydride batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casini, Julio Cesar Serafim

    2011-01-01

    In this work were studied of La 0.7-x Mg x Pr 0.3 Al 0.3 Mn 0.4 Co 0.5 Ni 3.8 (X = 0 and 0.7) alloys for negative electrodes of the nickel-metal hydride batteries. The hydrogenation of the alloys was performed varying pressing of H 2 (2 and 10 bar) and temperature (room and 500 ℃). The discharge capacity of the nic kel-metal hydride batteries were analyzed in ARBIN BT- 4 electrical test equipment. The as-cast alloys were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy disperse spectroscopy (EDX) and X-Ray diffraction. The increasing Mg addition in the alloy increases maximum discharge capacity but decrease cycle life of the batteries. The maximum discharge capacity was obtained with the Mg 0.7 Pr 0.3 Al 0.3 Mn 0.4 Co 0.5 Ni 3.8 alloy (60 mAh) and the battery which presented the best performance was La 0.4 Mg 0.3 Pr 0.3 Al 0.3 Mn 0.4 Co 0.5 Ni 3.8 alloy (53 mAh and 150 cycles). The H 2 capability of absorption was diminished for increased Mg addition and no such effect occurs for Mg 0.7 Pr 0.3 Al 0.3 Mn 0.4 Co 0.5 Ni 3.8 alloy. (author)

  18. Metal-Free Aqueous Flow Battery with Novel Ultrafiltered Lignin as Electrolyte

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mukhopadhyay, Alolika [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, 334 Snell Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States; Hamel, Jonathan [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, 334 Snell Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States; Katahira, Rui [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Denver West Parkway, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States; Zhu, Hongli [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, 334 Snell Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States

    2018-03-05

    As the number of generation sources from intermittent renewable technologies on the electric grid increases, the need for large-scale energy storage devices is becoming essential to ensure grid stability. Flow batteries offer numerous advantages over conventional sealed batteries for grid storage. In this work, for the first time, we investigated lignin, the second most abundant wood derived biopolymer, as an anolyte for the aqueous flow battery. Lignosulfonate, a water-soluble derivative of lignin, is environmentally benign, low cost and abundant as it is obtained from the byproduct of paper and biofuel manufacturing. The lignosulfonate utilizes the redox chemistry of quinone to store energy and undergoes a reversible redox reaction. Here, we paired lignosulfonate with Br2/Br-, and the full cell runs efficiently with high power density. Also, the large and complex molecular structure of lignin considerably reduces the electrolytic crossover, which ensures very high capacity retention. The flowcell was able to achieve current densities of up to 20 mA/cm2 and charge polarization resistance of 15 ohm cm2. This technology presents a unique opportunity for a low-cost, metal-free flow battery capable of large-scale sustainable energy storage.

  19. Thermal battery. [solid metal halide electrolytes with enhanced electrical conductance after a phase transition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlsten, R.W.; Nissen, D.A.

    1973-03-06

    The patent describes an improved thermal battery whose novel design eliminates various disadvantages of previous such devices. Its major features include a halide cathode, a solid metal halide electrolyte which has a substantially greater electrical conductance after a phase transition at some temperature, and a means for heating its electrochemical cells to activation temperature.

  20. Novel method to deposit metal particles on transition metal oxide films and its application in lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan Qinmin; Wang Min; Wang Hongbo; Zhao Jianwei; Yin Geping

    2008-01-01

    A novel method to modify the surfaces of transition metal oxides (MO) film-electrode was proposed in this study. At first, a monolayer of terephthalic acid was covalently bonded to the surfaces of Cu 2 O films. Then silver (Ag) particles were electrodeposited on the monolayer-grafted films by a potential-step process. The resulting Ag-Cu 2 O films exhibited improved electrochemical performance as negative electrodes in lithium-ion batteries compared to the original Cu 2 O films. An increase in electrical contact between Cu 2 O particles was considered to be responsible for the improvement in the electrochemical properties

  1. Soil and groundwater contamination with heavy metals at two scrap iron and metal recycling facilities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Dorthe Lærke; Holm, P. E.; Christensen, Thomas Højlund

    2000-01-01

    Field studies were performed at two actual scrap iron and metal recycling facilities in order to evaluate the extent of heavy metal migration into subsoil and groundwater caused by more than 25 years of handling scrap directly on the ground without any measures to prevent leaching. Surface soil...... samples, called `scrap dirt', representing the different activities on the two recycling facilities, all showed very high concentrations of lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), high concentrations of cadmium (Cd) , chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) and somewhat elevated concentrations of many other metals....... In particular high concentrations were found for Pb at the car-battery salvage locations (13 to 26 g Pb kg±1) and Cu at the cable burning location (22 g Cu kg±1) at one site. The migration of metals below the surface in general (except at the car-battery salvage locations) was very limited even after...

  2. Development of high-capacity nickel-metal hydride batteries using superlattice hydrogen-absorbing alloys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasuoka, Shigekazu; Magari, Yoshifumi; Murata, Tetsuyuki; Tanaka, Tadayoshi; Ishida, Jun; Nakamura, Hiroshi; Nohma, Toshiyuki; Kihara, Masaru; Baba, Yoshitaka; Teraoka, Hirohito

    New R-Mg-Ni (R: rare earths) superlattice alloys with higher-capacity and higher-durability than the conventional Mm-Ni alloys with CaCu 5 structure have been developed. The oxidation resistibility of the superlattice alloys has been improved by optimizing the alloy composition by such as substituting aluminum for nickel and optimizing the magnesium content in order to prolong the battery life. High-capacity nickel-metal hydride batteries for the retail market, the Ni-MH2500/900 series (AA size type 2500 mAh, AAA size type 900 mAh), have been developed and commercialized by using an improved superlattice alloy for negative electrode material.

  3. Redox-Flow Batteries: From Metals to Organic Redox-Active Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winsberg, Jan; Hagemann, Tino; Janoschka, Tobias; Hager, Martin D; Schubert, Ulrich S

    2017-01-16

    Research on redox-flow batteries (RFBs) is currently experiencing a significant upturn, stimulated by the growing need to store increasing quantities of sustainably generated electrical energy. RFBs are promising candidates for the creation of smart grids, particularly when combined with photovoltaics and wind farms. To achieve the goal of "green", safe, and cost-efficient energy storage, research has shifted from metal-based materials to organic active materials in recent years. This Review presents an overview of various flow-battery systems. Relevant studies concerning their history are discussed as well as their development over the last few years from the classical inorganic, to organic/inorganic, to RFBs with organic redox-active cathode and anode materials. Available technologies are analyzed in terms of their technical, economic, and environmental aspects; the advantages and limitations of these systems are also discussed. Further technological challenges and prospective research possibilities are highlighted. © 2016 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

  4. Metal-Organic Frameworks Triggered High-Efficiency Li storage in Fe-Based Polyhedral Nanorods for Lithium-ion Batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, Lisha; Song, Huawei; Wang, Chengxin

    2017-01-01

    Recently, metal organic framework (MOF) nanostructures have been frequently reported in the field of energy storage, specifically for Li-ion or Na-ion storage. By inter-separating the active sites of metal cluster and organic ligands, MOF nanostructures are exceptionally promising for realizing fast ion exchange and high-efficiency transportation and addressing the intricate issues that the energy-intensive Li-ion batteries have faced over many years. The related ion-storage mechanism remains to be explored. Is the traditional redox reaction mechanism operative for these nanostructure, as it is for transitional metal oxide? Herein, taking [Fe_3O(BDC)_3(H_2O)_2(NO_3)]n (Fe-MIL-88B) as an example, an Fe-based metal organic polyhedral nanorods of MIL–88 B structure was designed as an anode for Li-ion storage. When tested at 60 mA g"−"1, the nanoporous Fe-MIL–88 B polyhedral nanorods retained a reversible capacity of 744.5 mAh g"−"1 for more than 400 cycles. Ex situ characterizations of the post-cycled electrodes revealed that both the transition metal ions and the organic ligands contributed to the high reversible specific capacity. The polyhedral nanorods electrodes held the metal-organic skeleton together throughout the battery operation, although in a somewhat different manner than the pristine ones. This further substantiated that some MOF nanostructures are more appropriate than others for stable lithiation/delithiation processes. State-of-the-art CR2032 full cells showed that a high capacity of 86.8 mAh g"−"1 that was retained after 100 cycles (herein, the capacity for the full cell was calculated based on both the weight of the anode and the cathode, and the charge-discharge rate was 0.25C), when commercial LiFePO_4 powders were used as the cathode.

  5. Effects of Imide–Orthoborate Dual-Salt Mixtures in Organic Carbonate Electrolytes on the Stability of Lithium Metal Batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Xing [Energy and Environment; School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, China; Zheng, Jianming [Energy and Environment; Engelhard, Mark H. [Environmental Molecular; Mei, Donghai [Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Li, Qiuyan [Energy and Environment; Jiao, Shuhong [Energy and Environment; Liu, Ning [Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China; Zhao, Wengao [Energy and Environment; School of Energy Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; Zhang, Ji-Guang [Energy and Environment; Xu, Wu [Energy and Environment

    2018-01-09

    The effects of lithium imide and lithium orthoborate dual-salt electrolytes of different salt chemistries in carbonate solvents on the cycling stability of Li metal batteries were systematically and comparatively investigated. Two imide salts (LiTFSI and LiFSI) and two orthoborate salts (LiBOB and LiDFOB) were chosen for this study and compared with the conventional LiPF6 salt. The cycling stability of the Li metal cells with the electrolytes follows the order from good to poor as LiTFSI-LiBOB > LiTFSI-LiDFOB > LiPF6 > LiFSI-LiBOB > LiFSI-LiDFOB, indicating that LiTFSI behaves better than LiFSI and LiBOB over LiDFOB in these four dual-salt mixtures. The LiTFSI-LiBOB can effectively protect the Al substrate and form a more robust surface film on Li metal anode, while the LiFSI-LiBOB results in serious corrosion to the stainless steel cell case and a thicker and looser surface film on Li anode. Computational calculations indicate that the chemical and electrochemical stabilities also follow the order of LiTFSI-LiBOB > LiTFSI-LiDFOB > LiFSI-LiBOB > LiFSI-LiDFOB. The key findings of this work emphasize that the salt chemistry is critically important for enhancing the interfacial stability of Li metal anode and should be carefully manipulated in the development of high performance Li metal batteries.

  6. Metal-organic frameworks for lithium ion batteries and supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ke, Fu-Sheng; Wu, Yu-Shan; Deng, Hexiang, E-mail: hdeng@whu.edu.cn

    2015-03-15

    Porous materials have been widely used in batteries and supercapacitors attribute to their large internal surface area (usually 100–1000 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}) and porosity that can favor the electrochemical reaction, interfacial charge transport, and provide short diffusion paths for ions. As a new type of porous crystalline materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have received huge attention in the past decade due to their unique properties, i.e. huge surface area (up to 7000 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}), high porosity, low density, controllable structure and tunable pore size. A wide range of applications including gas separation, storage, catalysis, and drug delivery benefit from the recent fast development of MOFs. However, their potential in electrochemical energy storage has not been fully revealed. Herein, the present mini review appraises recent and significant development of MOFs and MOF-derived materials for rechargeable lithium ion batteries and supercapacitors, to give a glimpse into these potential applications of MOFs. - Graphical abstract: MOFs with large surface area and high porosity can offer more reaction sites and charge carriers diffusion path. Thus MOFs are used as cathode, anode, electrolyte, matrix and precursor materials for lithium ion battery, and also as electrode and precursor materials for supercapacitors. - Highlights: • MOFs have potential in electrochemical area due to their high porosity and diversity. • We summarized and compared works on MOFs for lithium ion battery and supercapacitor. • We pointed out critical challenges and provided possible solutions for future study.

  7. Low temperature sulfur and sodium metal battery for grid-scale energy storage application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Gao; Wang, Dongdong

    2018-03-27

    A re-chargeable battery comprising a non-dendrite forming sodium (Na)/potassium (K) liquid metal alloy anode, a sulfur and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) conductive polymer composite cathode, a polyethyleneoxide (PEO) solid electrolyte, a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) formed on the PEO solid electrolyte; and a cell housing, wherein the anode, cathode, and electrolyte are assembled into the cell housing with the PEO solid electrolyte disposed between the cathode and anode.

  8. Bi-metallic nanoparticles as cathode electrocatalysts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Jun; Amine, Khalil; Wang, Xiaoping; Luo, Xiangyi; Myers, Deborah J.

    2018-03-27

    A lithium-air battery cathode catalyst includes core-shell nanoparticles on a carbon support, wherein: a core of the core-shell nanoparticles is platinum metal; and a shell of the core-shell nanoparticles is copper metal; wherein: the core-shell nanoparticles have a weight ratio of the copper metal to the platinum metal from about 4% to about 6% copper to from about 2% to about 12% platinum, with a remaining percentage being the carbon support.

  9. Synthesis-microstructure-performance relationship of layered transition metal oxides as cathode for rechargeable sodium batteries prepared by high-temperature calcination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Man; Luo, Rui; Lu, Jun; Chen, Renjie; Wu, Feng; Wang, Xiaoming; Zhan, Chun; Wu, Huiming; Albishri, Hassan M; Al-Bogami, Abdullah S; El-Hady, Deia Abd; Amine, Khalil

    2014-10-08

    Research on sodium batteries has made a comeback because of concern regarding the limited resources and cost of lithium for Li-ion batteries. From the standpoint of electrochemistry and economics, Mn- or Fe-based layered transition metal oxides should be the most suitable cathode candidates for affordable sodium batteries. Herein, this paper reports a novel cathode material, layered Na1+x(Fey/2Niy/2Mn1-y)1-xO2 (x = 0.1-0.5), synthesized through a facile coprecipitation process combined with subsequent calcination. For such cathode material calcined at 800 °C for 20 h, the Na/Na1+x(Fey/2Niy/2Mn1-y)1-xO2 (x = 0.4) electrode exhibited a good capacity of 99.1 mAh g(-1) (cycled at 1.5-4.0 V) and capacity retention over 87% after 50 cycles. Optimization of this material would make layered transition metal oxides a strong candidate for the Na-ion battery cathode.

  10. Development of high-capacity nickel-metal hydride batteries using superlattice hydrogen-absorbing alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yasuoka, Shigekazu; Magari, Yoshifumi; Murata, Tetsuyuki; Tanaka, Tadayoshi; Ishida, Jun; Nakamura, Hiroshi; Nohma, Toshiyuki; Kihara, Masaru; Baba, Yoshitaka; Teraoka, Hirohito

    2006-01-01

    New R-Mg-Ni (R: rare earths) superlattice alloys with higher-capacity and higher-durability than the conventional Mm-Ni alloys with CaCu 5 structure have been developed. The oxidation resistibility of the superlattice alloys has been improved by optimizing the alloy composition by such as substituting aluminum for nickel and optimizing the magnesium content in order to prolong the battery life. High-capacity nickel-metal hydride batteries for the retail market, the Ni-MH2500/900 series (AA size type 2500mAh, AAA size type 900mAh), have been developed and commercialized by using an improved superlattice alloy for negative electrode material. alized by using an improved superlattice alloy for negative electrode material. (author)

  11. Hydrometallurgical recovery of metal values from sulfuric acid leaching liquor of spent lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Xiangping; Chen, Yongbin; Zhou, Tao; Liu, Depei; Hu, Hang; Fan, Shaoyun

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Selective precipitation and solvent extraction were adopted. • Nickel, cobalt and lithium were selectively precipitated. • Co-D2EHPA was employed as high-efficiency extraction reagent for manganese. • High recovery percentages could be achieved for all metal values. - Abstract: Environmentally hazardous substances contained in spent Li-ion batteries, such as heavy metals and nocuous organics, will pose a threat to the environment and human health. On the other hand, the sustainable recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries may bring about environmental and economic benefits. In this study, a hydrometallurgical process was adopted for the comprehensive recovery of nickel, manganese, cobalt and lithium from sulfuric acid leaching liquor from waste cathode materials of spent lithium-ion batteries. First, nickel ions were selectively precipitated and recovered using dimethylglyoxime reagent. Recycled dimethylglyoxime could be re-used as precipitant for nickel and revealed similar precipitation performance compared with fresh dimethylglyoxime. Then the separation of manganese and cobalt was conducted by solvent extraction method using cobalt loaded D2EHPA. And McCabe–Thiele isotherm was employed for the prediction of the degree of separation and the number of extraction stages needed at specific experimental conditions. Finally, cobalt and lithium were sequentially precipitated and recovered as CoC 2 O 4 ⋅2H 2 O and Li 2 CO 3 using ammonium oxalate solution and saturated sodium carbonate solution, respectively. Recovery efficiencies could be attained as follows: 98.7% for Ni; 97.1% for Mn, 98.2% for Co and 81.0% for Li under optimized experimental conditions. This hydrometallurgical process may promise a candidate for the effective separation and recovery of metal values from the sulfuric acid leaching liquor

  12. Hydrometallurgical recovery of metal values from sulfuric acid leaching liquor of spent lithium-ion batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Xiangping; Chen, Yongbin; Zhou, Tao, E-mail: zhoutao@csu.edu.cn; Liu, Depei; Hu, Hang; Fan, Shaoyun

    2015-04-15

    Highlights: • Selective precipitation and solvent extraction were adopted. • Nickel, cobalt and lithium were selectively precipitated. • Co-D2EHPA was employed as high-efficiency extraction reagent for manganese. • High recovery percentages could be achieved for all metal values. - Abstract: Environmentally hazardous substances contained in spent Li-ion batteries, such as heavy metals and nocuous organics, will pose a threat to the environment and human health. On the other hand, the sustainable recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries may bring about environmental and economic benefits. In this study, a hydrometallurgical process was adopted for the comprehensive recovery of nickel, manganese, cobalt and lithium from sulfuric acid leaching liquor from waste cathode materials of spent lithium-ion batteries. First, nickel ions were selectively precipitated and recovered using dimethylglyoxime reagent. Recycled dimethylglyoxime could be re-used as precipitant for nickel and revealed similar precipitation performance compared with fresh dimethylglyoxime. Then the separation of manganese and cobalt was conducted by solvent extraction method using cobalt loaded D2EHPA. And McCabe–Thiele isotherm was employed for the prediction of the degree of separation and the number of extraction stages needed at specific experimental conditions. Finally, cobalt and lithium were sequentially precipitated and recovered as CoC{sub 2}O{sub 4}⋅2H{sub 2}O and Li{sub 2}CO{sub 3} using ammonium oxalate solution and saturated sodium carbonate solution, respectively. Recovery efficiencies could be attained as follows: 98.7% for Ni; 97.1% for Mn, 98.2% for Co and 81.0% for Li under optimized experimental conditions. This hydrometallurgical process may promise a candidate for the effective separation and recovery of metal values from the sulfuric acid leaching liquor.

  13. Development of high capacity, high rate lithium ion batteries utilizing metal fiber conductive additives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Soonho; Kim, Youngduk; Kim, Kyung Joon; Kim, Tae Hyung; Lee, Hyungkeun; Kim, Myung H.

    As lithium ion cells dominate the battery market, the performance improvement is an utmost concern among developers and researchers. Conductive additives are routinely employed to enhance electrode conductivity and capacity. Carbon particulates—graphite or carbon black powders—are conventional and popular choices as conductive fillers. However, percolation requirements of particles demand significant volumetric content of impalpable, and thereby high area conductive fillers. As might be expected, the electrode active surface area escalates unnecessarily, resulting in overall increase in reaction with electrolytes and organic solvents. The increased reactions usually manifest as an irreversible loss of anode capacity, gradual oxidation and consumption of electrolyte on the cathode—which causes capacity decline during cycling—and an increased threat to battery safety by gas evolution and exothermic solvent oxidation. In this work we have utilized high aspect ratio, flexible, micronic metal fibers as low active area and high conductivity additives. The metal fibers appear well dispersed within the electrode and to satisfy percolation requirements very efficiently at very low volumetric content compared to conventional carbon-based conductive additives. Results from 18650-type cells indicate significant enhancements in electrode capacity and high rate capability while the irreversible capacity loss is negligible.

  14. Dendrite-Free Electrodeposition and Reoxidation of Lithium-Sodium Alloy for Metal-Anode Battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-01

    Dendrite-Free Electrodeposition and Reoxidation of Lithium-Sodium Alloy for Metal-Anode Battery Johanna K. Star 1 , Yi Ding 2 , and Paul A. Kohl ,1, * 1...Journal Article 3. DATES COVERED 01-11-2011 to 01-11-2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE DENDRITE-FREE ELECTRODEPOSITION AND REOXIDATION OF LITHIUM-SODIUM...can short circuit the anode and cathode . Anode- cathode short circuits are especially dangerous when a flammable organic solvent is used as the

  15. Stabilization of Li Metal Anode in DMSO-Based Electrolytes via Optimization of Salt-Solvent Coordination for Li-O 2 Batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Bin [Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99354 USA; Xu, Wu [Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99354 USA; Yan, Pengfei [Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99354 USA; Kim, Sun Tai [Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99354 USA; Department of Energy Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 689-798 South Korea; Engelhard, Mark H. [Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99354 USA; Sun, Xiuliang [Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99354 USA; Mei, Donghai [Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99354 USA; Cho, Jaephil [Department of Energy Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 689-798 South Korea; Wang, Chong-Min [Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99354 USA; Zhang, Ji-Guang [Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99354 USA

    2017-03-08

    The conventional DMSO-based electrolyte (1 M lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) in DMSO) is unstable against the Li metal anode and therefore cannot be used directly in practical Li-O2 batteries. Here, we demonstrate that a highly concentrated electrolyte based on LiTFSI in DMSO (with a molar ratio of 1:3) can greatly improve the stability of the Li metal anode against DMSO and significantly improve the cycling stability of Li-O2 batteries. This highly concentrated electrolyte contains no free DMSO solvent molecules, but only complexes of (TFSI–)a-Li+-(DMSO)b (where a + b = 4), and thus enhances their stability with Li metal anodes. In addition, such salt-solvent complexes have higher Gibbs activation energy barriers than the free DMSO solvent molecules, indicating improved stability of the electrolyte against the attack of superoxide radical anions. Therefore, the stability of this highly concentrated electrolyte at both Li metal anodes and carbon-based air electrodes has been greatly enhanced, resulting in improved cyclic stability of Li-O2 batteries. The fundamental stability of the electrolyte with free-solvent against the chemical and electrochemical reactions can also be used to enhance the stability of other electrochemical systems.

  16. Metal-Organic Frameworks Derived Okra-like SnO2 Encapsulated in Nitrogen-Doped Graphene for Lithium Ion Battery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xiangyang; Chen, Sanmei; Yang, Juan; Bai, Tao; Ren, Yongpeng; Tian, Hangyu

    2017-04-26

    A facile process is developed to prepare SnO 2 -based composites through using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as precursors. The nitrogen-doped graphene wrapped okra-like SnO 2 composites (SnO 2 @N-RGO) are successfully synthesized for the first time by using Sn-based metal-organic frameworks (Sn-MOF) as precursors. When utilized as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, the SnO 2 @N-RGO composites possess a remarkably superior reversible capacity of 1041 mA h g -1 at a constant current of 200 mA g -1 after 180 charge-discharge processes and excellent rate capability. The excellent performance can be primarily ascribed to the unique structure of 1D okra-like SnO 2 in SnO 2 @N-RGO which are actually composed of a great number of SnO 2 primary crystallites and numerous well-defined internal voids, can effectively alleviate the huge volume change of SnO 2 , and facilitate the transport and storage of lithium ions. Besides, the structural stability acquires further improvement when the okra-like SnO 2 are wrapped by N-doped graphene. Similarly, this synthetic strategy can be employed to synthesize other high-capacity metal-oxide-based composites starting from various metal-organic frameworks, exhibiting promising application in novel electrode material field of lithium-ion batteries.

  17. Facile and large-scale preparation of sandwich-structured graphene-metal oxide composites as anode materials for Li-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fang, Hongmei; Zhao, Li; Yue, Wenbo; Wang, Yuan; Jiang, Yang; Zhang, Yuan

    2015-01-01

    Graphene-based metal oxides are desirable as potential anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their superior electrochemical properties. In this work, sandwich-structured graphene-metal oxide (ZnO, NiO) composites are facilely synthesized on a large scale through self-assembly of graphene oxide nanosheets and metal ammine complexes, and then thermal decomposition of the self-assembled products. ZnO or NiO nanoparticles with diameters of 5∼10 nm are immobilized between the layers of graphene nanosheets, which may provide the space for accommodating the volume change of metal oxides during cycles, and highly improve the electronic conductivity of the composites. Accordingly, these sandwich-structured composites exhibit enhanced electrochemical performances compared to metal oxide particles or stacked graphene nanosheets. This facile synthesis method is very suitable for the large-scale production of three-dimensional graphene-based composites as high-performance anodes for LIBs.

  18. Avoiding short circuits from zinc metal dendrites in anode by backside-plating configuration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higashi, Shougo; Lee, Seok Woo; Lee, Jang Soo; Takechi, Kensuke; Cui, Yi

    2016-01-01

    Portable power sources and grid-scale storage both require batteries combining high energy density and low cost. Zinc metal battery systems are attractive due to the low cost of zinc and its high charge-storage capacity. However, under repeated plating and stripping, zinc metal anodes undergo a well-known problem, zinc dendrite formation, causing internal shorting. Here we show a backside-plating configuration that enables long-term cycling of zinc metal batteries without shorting. We demonstrate 800 stable cycles of nickel–zinc batteries with good power rate (20 mA cm−2, 20 C rate for our anodes). Such a backside-plating method can be applied to not only zinc metal systems but also other metal-based electrodes suffering from internal short circuits. PMID:27263471

  19. Metal oxide/hydrogen secondary battery; Kinzoku sankabutsu/suiso niji denchi

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hosobuchi, H.; Ema, M.

    1995-12-12

    Since the shape of powder produced by crushing the hydrogen storage alloy containing rare earth element varies widely, the density of the negative electrode made by packing the alloy powder is low. As a result, the secondary battery employing this negative electrode has a small discharge capacity. This invention solves the problem. Employing the hydrogen storage alloy containing rare earth element composed of particle shape of aspect ratio, A, of over 1.0 and below 3.0 gives rise to the negative electrode with high packing density, improving the discharge capacity of the metal oxide - hydrogen secondary battery. The more the shape of powder of hydrogen storage alloy containing rare earth element is near to sphere, the higher the packing density of negative electrode made of the hydrogen storage alloy containing rare earth element becomes. The preferable aspect ratio, A, of the powder is 1.0 {le} A {le} 2.0. Such alloy powder can be produced by mechanically grinding the rare-earth-element-containing hydrogen alloy ingot, or grinding by hydration, or grinding by atomizing followed by sieving. 1 fig., 1 tab.

  20. Interface-modulated approach toward multilevel metal oxide nanotubes for lithium-ion batteries and oxygen reduction reaction

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Jiashen Meng; Chaojiang Niu; Xiong Liu; Ziang Liu; Hongliang Chen; Xuanpeng Wang; Jiantao Li

    2016-01-01

    Metal oxide hollow structures with multilevel interiors are of great interest for potential applications such as catalysis,chemical sensing,drug delivery,and energy storage.However,the controlled synthesis of multilevel nanotubes remains a great challenge.Here we develop a facile interface-modulated approach toward the synthesis of complex metal oxide multilevel nanotubes with tunable interior structures through electrospinning followed by controlled heat treatment.This versatile strategy can be effectively applied to fabricate wire-in-tube and tubein-tube nanotubes of various metal oxides.These multilevel nanotubes possess a large specific surface area,fast mass transport,good strain accommodation,and high packing density,which are advantageous for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs)and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).Specifically,shrinkable CoMn2O4 tube-in-tube nanotubes as a lithium-ion battery anode deliver a high discharge capacity of ~565 mAh.g-1 at a high rate of 2 A.g-1,maintaining 89% of the latter after 500 cycles.Further,as an oxygen reduction reaction catalyst,these nanotubes also exhibit excellent stability with about 92% current retention after 30,000 s,which is higher than that of commercial Pt/C (81%).Therefore,this feasible method may push the rapid development of one-dimensional (1D) nanomaterials.These multifunctional nanotubes have great potential in many frontier fields.

  1. Solar photovoltaic charging of high voltage nickel metal hydride batteries using DC power conversion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Nelson A.; Gibson, Thomas L.

    There are an increasing number of vehicle choices available that utilize batteries and electric motors to reduce tailpipe emissions and increase fuel economy. The eventual production of electricity and hydrogen in a renewable fashion, such as using solar energy, can achieve the long-term vision of having no tailpipe environmental impact, as well as eliminating the dependence of the transportation sector on dwindling supplies of petroleum for its energy. In this report we will demonstrate the solar-powered charging of the high-voltage nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery used in the GM 2-mode hybrid system. In previous studies we have used low-voltage solar modules to produce hydrogen via the electrolysis of water and to directly charge lithium-ion battery modules. Our strategy in the present work was to boost low-voltage PV voltage to over 300 V using DC-DC converters in order to charge the high-voltage NiMH battery, and to regulate the battery charging using software to program the electronic control unit supplied with the battery pack. A protocol for high-voltage battery charging was developed, and the solar to battery charging efficiency was measured under a variety of conditions. We believe this is the first time such high-voltage batteries have been charged using solar energy in order to prove the concept of efficient, solar-powered charging for battery-electric vehicles.

  2. Life cycle environmental assessment of lithium-ion and nickel metal hydride batteries for plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majeau-Bettez, Guillaume; Hawkins, Troy R; Strømman, Anders Hammer

    2011-05-15

    This study presents the life cycle assessment (LCA) of three batteries for plug-in hybrid and full performance battery electric vehicles. A transparent life cycle inventory (LCI) was compiled in a component-wise manner for nickel metal hydride (NiMH), nickel cobalt manganese lithium-ion (NCM), and iron phosphate lithium-ion (LFP) batteries. The battery systems were investigated with a functional unit based on energy storage, and environmental impacts were analyzed using midpoint indicators. On a per-storage basis, the NiMH technology was found to have the highest environmental impact, followed by NCM and then LFP, for all categories considered except ozone depletion potential. We found higher life cycle global warming emissions than have been previously reported. Detailed contribution and structural path analyses allowed for the identification of the different processes and value-chains most directly responsible for these emissions. This article contributes a public and detailed inventory, which can be easily be adapted to any powertrain, along with readily usable environmental performance assessments.

  3. Cobalt- and Cadmium-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks as High-Performance Anodes for Sodium Ion Batteries and Lithium Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Caifu; Xu, Liqiang

    2017-03-01

    Two multifunctional metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with the same coordination mode, [Co(L)(H 2 O)] n ·2nH 2 O [defined as "Co(L) MOF"] and [Cd(L)(H 2 O)] n ·2nH 2 O [defined as "Cd(L) MOF"] (L = 5-aminoisophthalic acid) have been fabricated via a simple and versatile scalable solvothermal approach at 85 °C for 24 h. The relationship between the structure of the electrode materials (especially the coordination water and different metal ions) and the electrochemical properties of MOFs have been investigated for the first time. And then the possible electrochemical mechanisms of the electrodes have been studied and proposed. In addition, MOFs/RGO hybrid materials were prepared via ball milling, which demonstrated better electrochemical performances than those of individual Co(L) MOF and Cd(L) MOF. For example, when Co(L) MOF/RGO was applied as anode for sodium ion batteries (SIBs), it retained 206 mA h g -1 after 330 cycles at 500 mA g -1 and 1185 mA h g -1 could be obtained after 50 cycles at 100 mA g -1 for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The high-discharge capacity, excellent cyclic stability combined with the facile synthesis procedure enable Co(L) MOF- and Cd(L) MOF-based materials to be prospective anode materials for SIBs and LIBs.

  4. Rapid hydrogen charging on metal hydride negative electrode of Fuel Cell/Battery (FCB) systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choi, Bokkyu; Lee, Sunmook; Kawai, Hiroyuki; Fushimi, Chihiro; Tsutsumi, Atsushi [Collaborative Research Center for Energy Engineering, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505 (Japan)

    2009-02-15

    The characteristics of rapid gaseous H{sub 2} charging/electrochemical discharging of the metal hydride negative electrode were investigated for the application in Fuel Cell/Battery (FCB) systems. They were evaluated with the H{sub 2} gas absorption, followed by the subsequent electrochemical discharging in the electrolyte solution (6M KOH). Then, the cyclability of charge-discharge was also examined. It was observed that more than 70% of the theoretical capacity was charged within 10 min with 0.3 MPa and 0.5 MPa of the initial H{sub 2} pressures. The electrochemical discharge curve showed that more than 86% of the absorbed H{sub 2} was discharged. Furthermore, the cycled charge-discharge process indicated that the H{sub 2} gas charge and electrochemical discharge process is an effective way to rapidly charge and activate the metal hydride without degeneration. (author)

  5. Multistage leaching of metals from spent lithium ion battery waste using electrochemically generated acidic lixiviant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boxall, N J; Adamek, N; Cheng, K Y; Haque, N; Bruckard, W; Kaksonen, A H

    2018-04-01

    Lithium ion battery (LIB) waste contains significant valuable resources that could be recovered and reused to manufacture new products. This study aimed to develop an alternative process for extracting metals from LIB waste using acidic solutions generated by electrolysis for leaching. Results showed that solutions generated by electrolysis of 0.5 M NaCl at 8 V with graphite or mixed metal oxide (MMO) electrodes were weakly acidic and leach yields obtained under single stage (batch) leaching were poor (leaching with the graphite electrolyte solution improved leach yields overall, but the electrodes corroded over time. Though yields obtained with both electrolyte leach solutions were low when compared to the 4 M HCl control, there still remains potential to optimise the conditions for the generation of the acidic anolyte solution and the solubilisation of valuable metals from the LIB waste. A preliminary value proposition indicated that the process has the potential to be economically feasible if leach yields can be improved, especially based on the value of recoverable cobalt and lithium. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Hydrometallurgical recovery of metal values from sulfuric acid leaching liquor of spent lithium-ion batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiangping; Chen, Yongbin; Zhou, Tao; Liu, Depei; Hu, Hang; Fan, Shaoyun

    2015-04-01

    Environmentally hazardous substances contained in spent Li-ion batteries, such as heavy metals and nocuous organics, will pose a threat to the environment and human health. On the other hand, the sustainable recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries may bring about environmental and economic benefits. In this study, a hydrometallurgical process was adopted for the comprehensive recovery of nickel, manganese, cobalt and lithium from sulfuric acid leaching liquor from waste cathode materials of spent lithium-ion batteries. First, nickel ions were selectively precipitated and recovered using dimethylglyoxime reagent. Recycled dimethylglyoxime could be re-used as precipitant for nickel and revealed similar precipitation performance compared with fresh dimethylglyoxime. Then the separation of manganese and cobalt was conducted by solvent extraction method using cobalt loaded D2EHPA. And McCabe-Thiele isotherm was employed for the prediction of the degree of separation and the number of extraction stages needed at specific experimental conditions. Finally, cobalt and lithium were sequentially precipitated and recovered as CoC2O4 ⋅ 2H2O and Li2CO3 using ammonium oxalate solution and saturated sodium carbonate solution, respectively. Recovery efficiencies could be attained as follows: 98.7% for Ni; 97.1% for Mn, 98.2% for Co and 81.0% for Li under optimized experimental conditions. This hydrometallurgical process may promise a candidate for the effective separation and recovery of metal values from the sulfuric acid leaching liquor. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. First-Principles Investigations of the Working Mechanism of 2D h-BN as an Interfacial Layer for the Anode of Lithium Metal Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Le; Xu, Ao; Zhao, Tianshou

    2017-01-18

    An issue with the use of metallic lithium as an anode material for lithium-based batteries is dendrite growth, causing a periodic breaking and repair of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer. Adding 2D atomic crystals, such as h-BN, as an interfacial layer between the lithium metal anode and liquid electrolyte has been demonstrated to be effective to mitigate dendrite growth, thereby enhancing the Columbic efficiency of lithium metal batteries. But the underlying mechanism leading to the reduced dendrite growth remains unknown. In this work, with the aid of first-principle calculations, we find that the interaction between the h-BN and lithium metal layers is a weak van der Waals force, and two atomic layers of h-BN are thick enough to block the electron tunneling from lithium metal to electrolyte, thus prohibiting the decomposition of electrolyte. The interlayer spacing between the h-BN and lithium metal layers can provide larger adsorption energies toward lithium atoms than that provided by bare lithium or h-BN, making lithium atoms prefer to intercalate under the cover of h-BN during the plating process. The combined high stiffness of h-BN and the low diffusion energy barriers of lithium at the Li/h-BN interfaces induce a uniform distribution of lithium under h-BN, therefore effectively suppressing dendrite growth.

  8. Remediating sites contaminated with heavy metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Swartzbaugh, J.; Sturgill, J.; Cormier, B.; Williams, H.D.

    1992-01-01

    This article is intended to serve as a reference for decision makers who must choose an approach to remediate sites contaminated with heavy metals. Its purpose is to explain pertinent chemical and physical characteristics of heavy metals, how to use these characteristics to select remedial technologies, and how to interpret and use data from field investigations. Different metal species are typically associated with different industrial processes. The contaminant species behave differently in various media (i.e., groundwater, soils, air), and require different technologies for containment and treatment. We focus on the metals that are used in industries that generate regulated waste. These include steelmaking, paint and pigment manufacturing, metal finishing, leather tanning, papermaking, aluminum anodizing, and battery manufacturing. Heavy metals are also present in refinery wastes as well as in smelting wastes and drilling muds

  9. Theoretical evaluation of high-energy lithium metal phosphate cathode materials in Li-ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard, Wilmont F.; Spotnitz, Robert M.

    Lithium metal phosphates (olivines) are emerging as long-lived, safe cathode materials in Li-ion batteries. Nano-LiFePO 4 already appears in high-power applications, and LiMnPO 4 development is underway. Current and emerging Fe- and Mn-based intercalants, however, are low-energy producers compared to Ni and Co compounds. LiNiPO 4, a high voltage olivine, has the potential for superior energy output (>10.7 Wh in 18650 batteries), compared with commercial Li(Co,Ni)O 2 derivatives (up to 9.9 Wh). Speculative Co and Ni olivine cathode materials charged to above 4.5 V will require significant advances in electrolyte compositions and nanotechnology before commercialization. The major drivers toward 5 V battery chemistries are the inherent abuse tolerance of phosphates and the economic benefit of LiNiPO 4: it can produce 34% greater energy per dollar of cell material cost than LiAl 0.05Co 0.15Ni 0.8O 2, today's "standard" cathode intercalant in Li-ion batteries.

  10. The chemistry of the liquid alkali metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Addison, C.C.

    1984-01-01

    A study of liquid alkali metals. It encourages comparison with molecular solvents in chapter covering the nature and reactivity of dissolved species, solvation, solubility and electrical conductivity of solutions. It demonstrates lab techniques unique to liquid alkali metals. It discusses large-scale applications from storage batteries to sodium-cooled reactors and future fusion reactors, and associated technological problems. Contents: Some Basic Physical and Chemical Properties; Manipulation of the Liquids; The Chemistry of Purification Methods; Species Formed by Dissolved Elements; Solubilities and Analytical Methods; Alkali Metal Mixtures; Solvation in Liquid Metal; Reactions Between Liquid Alkali Metals and Water; Reactions of Nitrogen with Lithium and the Group II Metals in Liquid Sodium; The Formation, Dissociation and Stability of Heteronuclear Polyatomic Anions; Reactions of the Liquid Alkali Metals and Their Alloys with Simple Alipatic Hydrocarbons; Reactions of the Liquid Alkali Metals with Some Halogen Compounds; Hydrogen, Oxygen and Carbon Meters; Surface Chemistry and Wetting; Corrosion of Transition Metals by the Liquid Alkali Metals; Modern Applications of the Liquid Alkali Metals

  11. Dissolution of heavy metals from electrostatic precipitator (ESP) dust ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SIBOO

    Key words: Fungal leaching, sponge iron, electrostatic precipitator (ESP) dust, metal dissolution. INTRODUCTION ... ability of micro organisms to transform solid compounds ..... of metals from spent lithium ion secondary batteries using A.

  12. Nanoporous metals for advanced energy technologies

    CERN Document Server

    Ding, Yi

    2016-01-01

    This book covers the state-of-the-art research in nanoporous metals for potential applications in advanced energy fields, including proton exchange membrane fuel cells, Li batteries (Li ion, Li-S, and Li-O2), and supercapacitors. The related structural design and performance of nanoporous metals as well as possible mechanisms and challenges are fully addressed. The formation mechanisms of nanoporous metals during dealloying, the microstructures of nanoporous metals and characterization methods, as well as miscrostructural regulation of nanoporous metals through alloy design of precursors and surface diffusion control are also covered in detail. This is an ideal book for researchers, engineers, graduate students, and government/industry officers who are in charge of R&D investments and strategy related to energy technologies.

  13. Gas atomization processing of tin and silicon modified LaNi5 for nickel-metal hydride battery applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ting, Jason [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    1999-02-12

    Numerous researchers have studied the relevant material properties of so-called AB5 alloys for battery applications. These studies involved LaNi5 substituted alloys which were prepared using conventional cast and crush alloying techniques. While valuable to the understanding of metal hydride effects, the previous work nearly ignored the potential for alternative direct powder production methods, like high pressure gas atomization (HPGA). Thus, there is a need to understand the relationship between gas atomization processes, powder particle solidification phases, and hydrogen absorption properties of ultra fine (< 25 μm) atomized powders with high surface area for enhanced battery performance. Concurrently, development of a gas atomization nozzle that is more efficient than all current designs is needed to increase the yield of ultrafine AB5 alloy powder for further processing advantage. Gas atomization processing of the AB5 alloys was demonstrated to be effective in producing ultrafine spherical powders that were resilient to hydrogen cycling for the benefit of improving corrosion resistance in battery application. These ultrafine powders benefited from the rapid solidification process by having refined solute segregation in the microstructure of the gas atomized powders which enabled a rapid anneal treatment of the powders. The author has demonstrated the ability to produce high yields of ultrafine powder efficiently and cost effectively, using the new HPGA-III technology. Thus, the potential benefits of processing AB5 alloys using the new HPGA technology could reduce manufacturing cost of nickel-metal hydride powder. In the near future, the manufacture of AB5 alloy powders could become a continuous and rapid production process. The economic benefit of an improved AB5 production process may thereby encourage the use of nickel-metal hydride rechargeable batteries in electrical vehicle

  14. Metal current collector-free freestanding silicon–carbon 1D nanocomposites for ultralight anodes in lithium ion batteries

    KAUST Repository

    Choi, Jang Wook

    2010-12-15

    Although current collectors take up more weight than active materials in most lithium ion battery cells, so far research has been focused mainly on improving gravimetric capacities of active materials. To address this issue of improving gravimetric capacities based on overall cell components, we develop freestanding nanocomposites made of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and silicon nanowires (SiNWs) as metal current collector-free anode platforms. Intrinsically large capacities of SiNWs as active materials in conjunction with the light nature of freestanding CNF films allow the nanocomposites to achieve 3-5 times improved gravimetric capacities compared to what have been reported in the literature. Moreover, three-dimensional porous structures in the CNF films facilitate increased mass loadings of SiNWs when compared to flat substrates and result in good cycle lives over 40 cycles. This type of nanocomposite cell suggests that 3D porous platforms consisting of light nanomaterials can provide for higher gravimetric and areal capacities when compared to conventional battery cells based on flat, heavy metal substrates. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Recent Progress in Self-Supported Metal Oxide Nanoarray Electrodes for Advanced Lithium-Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Feng; Qi, Limin

    2016-09-01

    The rational design and fabrication of electrode materials with desirable architectures and optimized properties has been demonstrated to be an effective approach towards high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Although nanostructured metal oxide electrodes with high specific capacity have been regarded as the most promising alternatives for replacing commercial electrodes in LIBs, their further developments are still faced with several challenges such as poor cycling stability and unsatisfying rate performance. As a new class of binder-free electrodes for LIBs, self-supported metal oxide nanoarray electrodes have many advantageous features in terms of high specific surface area, fast electron transport, improved charge transfer efficiency, and free space for alleviating volume expansion and preventing severe aggregation, holding great potential to solve the mentioned problems. This review highlights the recent progress in the utilization of self-supported metal oxide nanoarrays grown on 2D planar and 3D porous substrates, such as 1D and 2D nanostructure arrays, hierarchical nanostructure arrays, and heterostructured nanoarrays, as anodes and cathodes for advanced LIBs. Furthermore, the potential applications of these binder-free nanoarray electrodes for practical LIBs in full-cell configuration are outlined. Finally, the future prospects of these self-supported nanoarray electrodes are discussed.

  16. Complex metal hydrides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ley, Morten Brix

    2014-01-01

    og batterier de to mest lovende energibærere til mobile applikationer. Komplekse metalhydrider er blevet undersøgt i vid udstrækning over de sidste tyve år, siden de gravimetrisk og volumetrisk kan indeholde store mængder brint. Derfor er metal borhydrider velegnet til faststofopbevaring af brint...

  17. A bifunctional electrolyte additive for separator wetting and dendrite suppression in lithium metal batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zheng, Hao; Xie, Yong; Xiang, Hongfa; Shi, Pengcheng; Liang, Xin; Xu, Wu

    2018-04-01

    Reformulation of electrolyte systems and improvement of separator wettability are vital to electrochemical performances of rechargeable lithium (Li) metal batteries, especially for suppressing Li dendrites. In this work we report a bifunctional electrolyte additive that improves separator wettability and suppresses Li dendrite growth in LMBs. A triblock polyether (Pluronic P123) was introduced as an additive into a commonly used carbonate-based electrolyte. It was found that addition of 0.2~1% (by weight) P123 into the electrolyte could effectively enhance the wettability of polyethylene separator. More importantly, the adsorption of P123 on Li metal surface can act as an artificial solid electrolyte interphase layer and contribute to suppress the growth of Li dendrites. A smooth and dendritic-free morphology can be achieved in the electrolyte with 0.2% P123. The Li||Li symmetric cells with the 0.2% P123 containing electrolyte exhibit a relatively stable cycling stability at high current densities of 1.0 and 3.0 mA cm-2.

  18. A self-supported metal-organic framework derived Co3O4 film prepared by an in-situ electrochemically assistant process as Li ion battery anodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Guangyu; Sun, Xin; Zhang, Li; Chen, Xuan; Mao, Yachun; Sun, Kening

    2018-06-01

    Derivates of metal-organic frameworks are promising materials of self-supported Li ion battery anodes due to the good dispersion of active materials, conductive scaffold, and mass transport channels in them. However, the discontinuous growth and poor adherence of metal-organic framework films on substrates hamper their development in self-supported electrodes. In the present study, cobalt-based metal-organic frameworks are anchored on Ti nanowire arrays through an electrochemically assistant method, and then the metal-organic framework films are pyrolyzed to carbon-containing, porous, self-supported anodes of Li ion battery anodes. Scanning electron microscope images indicate that, a layer cobaltosic oxide polyhedrons inserted by the nanowires are obtained with the controllable in-situ synthesis. Thanks to the good dispersion and adherence of cobaltosic oxide polyhedrons on Ti substrates, the self-supported anodes exhibit remarkable rate capability and durability. They possess a capacity of 300 mAh g-1 at a rate current of 20 A g-1, and maintain 2000 charge/discharge cycles without obvious decay.

  19. Hierarchical structured graphene/metal oxide/porous carbon composites as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, Rong; Yue, Wenbo; Ren, Yu; Zhou, Wuzong

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • CeO 2 and Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles display different behavior within CMK-3. • CMK-3-CeO 2 and Co 3 O 4 show various electrochemical properties • CMK-3-CeO 2 and Co 3 O 4 are further wrapped by graphene nanosheets. • Graphene-encapsulated composites show better electrochemical performances. - Abstract: As a novel anode material for lithium-ion batteries, CeO 2 displays imperceptible volumetric and morphological changes during the lithium insertion and extraction processes, and thereby exhibits good cycling stability. However, the low theoretical capacity and poor electronic conductivity of CeO 2 hinder its practical application. In contrast, Co 3 O 4 possesses high theoretical capacity, but undergoes huge volume change during cycling. To overcome these issues, CeO 2 and Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles are formed inside the pores of CMK-3 and display various electrochemical behaviors due to the different morphological structures of CeO 2 and Co 3 O 4 within CMK-3. Moreover, the graphene/metal oxide/CMK-3 composites with a hierarchical structure are then prepared and exhibit better electrochemical performances than metal oxides with or without CMK-3. This novel synthesis strategy is hopefully employed in the electrode materials design for Li-ion batteries or other energy conversion and storage devices.

  20. Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Materials for Sodium Energy Storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Guoqiang; Hou, Hongshuai; Ge, Peng; Huang, Zhaodong; Zhao, Ganggang; Yin, Dulin; Ji, Xiaobo

    2018-01-01

    Recently, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are extensively explored and are regarded as one of the most promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries for electrochemical energy conversion and storage, owing to the abundant raw material resources, low cost, and similar electrochemical behavior of elemental sodium compared to lithium. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted enormous attention due to their high surface areas, tunable structures, and diverse applications in drug delivery, gas storage, and catalysis. Recently, there has been an escalating interest in exploiting MOF-derived materials as anodes for sodium energy storage due to their fast mass transport resulting from their highly porous structures and relatively simple preparation methods originating from in situ thermal treatment processes. In this Review, the recent progress of the sodium-ion storage performances of MOF-derived materials, including MOF-derived porous carbons, metal oxides, metal oxide/carbon nanocomposites, and other materials (e.g., metal phosphides, metal sulfides, and metal selenides), as SIB anodes is systematically and completely presented and discussed. Moreover, the current challenges and perspectives of MOF-derived materials in electrochemical energy storage are discussed. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Stabilization/solidification of battery debris ampersand lead impacted material at Schuylkill Metals, Plant City, Florida

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anguiano, T.; Floyd, D.

    1997-01-01

    The Schuylkill Metals facility in Plant City Florida (SMPCI) operated as a battery recycling facility for approximately 13 years. During its operation, the facility disposed of battery components in surrounding wetland areas. In March of 1991 the U.S. EPA and SMPCI entered into a Consent Decree for the remediation of the SMPCI site using stabilization/solidification and on-site disposal. In November of 1994, ENTACT began remediation at the facility and to date has successfully stabilized/solidified over 228,000 tons of lead impacted battery components and lead impacted material. The ENTACT process reduces the size of the material to be treated to ensure that complete mixing of the phosphate/cement additive is achieved thereby promoting the chemical reactions of stabilization and solidification. ENTACT has met the following performance criteria for treated material at the SMPCI site: (1) Hydraulic Conductivity less than 1x10 -6 cm/s, (2) Unconfined Compressive Strength greater than 50 psi, (3) Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Chromium TCLP Leachability below hazardous levels

  2. Process optimization and leaching kinetics of zinc and manganese metals from zinc-carbon and alkaline spent batteries using citric acid reagent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuliusman; Amiliana, R. A.; Wulandari, P. T.; Huda, M.; Kusumadewi, F. A.

    2018-03-01

    Zn-Carbon and Alkaline spent batteries contains heavy metals, such as zinc and manganese, which can causes environmental problem if not handled properly. Usually the recovery of these metals were done by leaching method using strong acid, but the use of strong acids as leaching reagents can be harmful to the environment. This paper concerns the recovery of Zn and Mn metals from Zn-C and alkaline spent batteries with leaching method using citric acid as the environmental friendly leaching reagent. The leaching conditions using citric acid were optimized and the leaching kinetics of Zn and Mn in citric acid solution was investigated. The leaching of 89.62% Zn and 63.26% Mn was achieved with 1.5 M citric acid, 90°C temperature, and 90 minutes stirring time. Kinetics data for the dissolution of Zn showed the best fit to chemical control shrinking core model, while the diffusion controlled model was suitable for the dissolution of Mn kinetics data. The activation energy of 6.12 and 1.73 kcal/mol was acquired for the leaching of Zn and Mn in the temperature range 60°C-90°C.

  3. Layered lithium transition metal nitrides as novel anodes for lithium secondary batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Yu; Horikawa, Kumi; Fujiyosi, Minako; Imanishi, Nobuyuki; Hirano, Atsushi; Takeda, Yasuo

    2004-01-01

    We report the approach to overcome the deterrents of the hexagonal Li 2.6 Co 0.4 N as potential insertion anode for lithium ion batteries: the rapid capacity fading upon long cycles and the fully Li-rich state before cycling. Research reveals that the appropriate amount of Co substituted by Cu can greatly improve the cycling performance of Li 2.6 Co 0.4 N. It is attributed to the enhanced electrochemical stability and interfacial comparability. However, doped Cu leads to a slightly decreased capacity. High energy mechanical milling (HEMM) was found to effectively improve the reversible capacity associated with the electrochemical kinetics by modifying the active hosts' morphology characteristics. Moreover, the composite based on mesocarbon microbead (MCMB) and Li 2.6 Co 0.4 N was developed under HEMM. The composite demonstrates a high first cycle efficiency at 100% and a large reversible capacity of ca. 450 mAh g -1 , as well as a stable cycling performance. This work may contribute to a development of the lithium transition metal nitrides as novel anodes for lithium ion batteries

  4. Metallic MoN layer and its application as anode for lithium-ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qiaoxuan; Ma, Jiachen; Lei, Ming; Quhe, Ruge

    2018-04-01

    Recently, two-dimensional (2D) metallic MoN was manufactured successfully in experiment. Its intrinsic properties remain to be explored theoretically, in depth. The intrinsic properties of a MoN monolayer are investigated by first-principles calculations. The distinct geometric properties of the outermost Mo and N surfaces are discovered. We predict an extremely high work function of 6.3 eV of the N surface, which indicates the great value of the 2D MoN for application in the semiconductor industry. We further explore the potential of 2D MoN as anode material for lithium-ion batteries. It is found that the adsorption energy of a single Li atom on an MoN surface can be as low as -4.04 eV. The small diffusion barriers (0.41 eV) and high theoretical maximum capacity (406 mAh · g-1 with the inclusion of multilayer adsorption) all imply an outstanding lithium-ion battery performance by 2D MoN.

  5. Site-specific transition metal occupation in multicomponent pyrophosphate for improved electrochemical and thermal properties in lithium battery cathodes: a combined experimental and theoretical study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shakoor, Rana A; Kim, Heejin; Cho, Woosuk; Lim, Soo Yeon; Song, Hannah; Lee, Jung Woo; Kang, Jeung Ku; Kim, Yong-Tae; Jung, Yousung; Choi, Jang Wook

    2012-07-18

    As an attempt to develop lithium ion batteries with excellent performance, which is desirable for a variety of applications including mobile electronics, electrical vehicles, and utility grids, the battery community has continuously pursued cathode materials that function at higher potentials with efficient kinetics for lithium insertion and extraction. By employing both experimental and theoretical tools, herein we report multicomponent pyrophosphate (Li(2)MP(2)O(7), M = Fe(1/3)Mn(1/3)Co(1/3)) cathode materials with novel and advantageous properties as compared to the single-component analogues and other multicomponent polyanions. Li(2)Fe(1/3)Mn(1/3)Co(1/3)P(2)O(7) is formed on the basis of a solid solution among the three individual transition-metal-based pyrophosphates. The unique crystal structure of pyrophosphate and the first principles calculations show that different transition metals have a tendency to preferentially occupy either octahedral or pyramidal sites, and this site-specific transition metal occupation leads to significant improvements in various battery properties: a single-phase mode for Li insertion/extraction, improved cell potentials for Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) (raised by 0.18 eV) and Co(2+)/Co(3+) (lowered by 0.26 eV), and increased activity for Mn(2+)/Mn(3+) with significantly reduced overpotential. We reveal that the favorable energy of transition metal mixing and the sequential redox reaction for each TM element with a sufficient redox gap is the underlying physical reason for the preferential single-phase mode of Li intercalation/deintercalation reaction in pyrophosphate, a general concept that can be applied to other multicomponent systems. Furthermore, an extremely small volume change of ~0.7% between the fully charged and discharged states and the significantly enhanced thermal stability are observed for the present material, the effects unseen in previous multicomponent battery materials.

  6. Hierarchically Nanostructured Transition Metal Oxides for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Mingbo; Tang, Hao; Li, Lulu; Hu, Qin; Zhang, Li; Xue, Huaiguo

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely used in the field of portable electric devices because of their high energy density and long cycling life. To further improve the performance of LIBs, it is of great importance to develop new electrode materials. Various transition metal oxides (TMOs) have been extensively investigated as electrode materials for LIBs. According to the reaction mechanism, there are mainly two kinds of TMOs, one is based on conversion reaction and the other is based on intercalation/deintercalation reaction. Recently, hierarchically nanostructured TMOs have become a hot research area in the field of LIBs. Hierarchical architecture can provide numerous accessible electroactive sites for redox reactions, shorten the diffusion distance of Li‐ion during the reaction, and accommodate volume expansion during cycling. With rapid research progress in this field, a timely account of this advanced technology is highly necessary. Here, the research progress on the synthesis methods, morphological characteristics, and electrochemical performances of hierarchically nanostructured TMOs for LIBs is summarized and discussed. Some relevant prospects are also proposed. PMID:29593962

  7. Ternary alkali-metal and transition metal or metalloid acetylides as alkali-metal intercalation electrodes for batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nemeth, Karoly; Srajer, George; Harkay, Katherine C; Terdik, Joseph Z

    2015-02-10

    Novel intercalation electrode materials including ternary acetylides of chemical formula: A.sub.nMC.sub.2 where A is alkali or alkaline-earth element; M is transition metal or metalloid element; C.sub.2 is reference to the acetylide ion; n is an integer that is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 when A is alkali element and 0, 1, or 2 when A is alkaline-earth element. The alkali elements are Lithium (Li), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Rubidium (Rb), Cesium (Cs) and Francium (Fr). The alkaline-earth elements are Berilium (Be), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Strontium (Sr), Barium (Ba), and Radium (Ra). M is a transition metal that is any element in groups 3 through 12 inclusive on the Periodic Table of Elements (elements 21 (Sc) to element 30 (Zn)). In another exemplary embodiment, M is a metalloid element.

  8. Pulse power 350 V nickel-metal hydride battery power-D-005-00181

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eskra, Michael D.; Ralston, Paula; Salkind, Alvin; Plivelich, Robert F.

    Energy-storage devices are needed for applications requiring very high-power over short periods of time. Such devices have various military (rail guns, electromagnetic launchers, and DEW) and commercial applications, such as hybrid electric vehicles, vehicle starting (SLI), and utility peak shaving. The storage and delivery of high levels of burst power can be achieved with a capacitor, flywheel, or rechargeable battery. In order to reduce the weight and volume of many systems they must contain advanced state-of-the-art electrochemical or electromechanical power sources. There is an opportunity and a need to develop energy-storage devices that have improved high-power characteristics compared to existing ultra capacitors, flywheels or rechargeable batteries. Electro Energy, Inc. has been engaged in the development of bipolar nickel-metal hydride batteries, which may fulfil the requirements of some of these applications. This paper describes a module rated at 300 V (255 cells) (6 Ah). The volume of the module is 23 L and the mass is 56 kg. The module is designed to deliver 50 kW pulses of 10 s duration at 50% state-of-charge. Details of the mechanical design of the module, safety considerations, along with the results of initial electrical characterization testing by the customer will be discussed. Some discussion of the possibilities for design optimization is also included.

  9. Spent NiMH batteries-The role of selective precipitation in the recovery of valuable metals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertuol, Daniel Assumpção; Bernardes, Andréa Moura; Tenório, Jorge Alberto Soares

    The production of electronic equipment, such as computers and cell phones, and, consequently, batteries, has increased dramatically. One of the types of batteries whose production and consumption has increased in recent times is the nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery. This study evaluated a hydrometallurgical method of recovery of rare earths and a simple method to obtain a solution rich in Ni-Co from spent NiMH batteries. The active materials from both electrodes were manually removed from the accumulators and leached. Several acid and basic solutions for the recovery of rare earths were evaluated. Results showed that more than 98 wt.% of the rare earths were recovered as sulfate salts by dissolution with sulfuric acid, followed by selective precipitation at pH 1.2 using sodium hydroxide. The complete process, precipitation at pH 1.2 followed by precipitation at pH 7, removed about 100 wt.% of iron and 70 wt.% of zinc from the leaching solution. Results were similar to those found in studies that used solvent extraction. This method is easy, economic, and does not pose environmental threats of solvent extraction.

  10. Removal Of Heavy Metals From Industrial Wastewaters Using Local ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Wastewater samples from battery, paint and textile industries were treated with different doses of locally available alum, aluminum sulphate and ferric chloride in order to determine and compare their effectiveness in removing heavy metal contents from the wastewaters. The percentage removal of the metals from the ...

  11. Thermal Rayleigh-Marangoni convection in a three-layer liquid-metal-battery model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Köllner, Thomas; Boeck, Thomas; Schumacher, Jörg

    2017-05-01

    The combined effects of buoyancy-driven Rayleigh-Bénard convection (RC) and surface tension-driven Marangoni convection (MC) are studied in a triple-layer configuration which serves as a simplified model for a liquid metal battery (LMB). The three-layer model consists of a liquid metal alloy cathode, a molten salt separation layer, and a liquid metal anode at the top. Convection is triggered by the temperature gradient between the hot electrolyte and the colder electrodes, which is a consequence of the release of resistive heat during operation. We present a linear stability analysis of the state of pure thermal conduction in combination with three-dimensional direct numerical simulations of the nonlinear turbulent evolution on the basis of a pseudospectral method. Five different modes of convection are identified in the configuration, which are partly coupled to each other: RC in the upper electrode, RC with internal heating in the molten salt layer, and MC at both interfaces between molten salt and electrode as well as anticonvection in the middle layer and lower electrode. The linear stability analysis confirms that the additional Marangoni effect in the present setup increases the growth rates of the linearly unstable modes, i.e., Marangoni and Rayleigh-Bénard instability act together in the molten salt layer. The critical Grashof and Marangoni numbers decrease with increasing middle layer thickness. The calculated thresholds for the onset of convection are found for realistic current densities of laboratory-sized LMBs. The global turbulent heat transfer follows scaling predictions for internally heated RC. The global turbulent momentum transfer is comparable with turbulent convection in the classical Rayleigh-Bénard case. In summary, our studies show that incorporating Marangoni effects generates smaller flow structures, alters the velocity magnitudes, and enhances the turbulent heat transfer across the triple-layer configuration.

  12. Hierarchical structured graphene/metal oxide/porous carbon composites as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guo, Rong [Beijing Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Materials, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Yue, Wenbo, E-mail: wbyue@bnu.edu.cn [Beijing Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Materials, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Ren, Yu [National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy, Beijing 102209 (China); Zhou, Wuzong [School of Chemistry, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fite KY16 9ST (United Kingdom)

    2016-01-15

    Highlights: • CeO{sub 2} and Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles display different behavior within CMK-3. • CMK-3-CeO{sub 2} and Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} show various electrochemical properties • CMK-3-CeO{sub 2} and Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} are further wrapped by graphene nanosheets. • Graphene-encapsulated composites show better electrochemical performances. - Abstract: As a novel anode material for lithium-ion batteries, CeO{sub 2} displays imperceptible volumetric and morphological changes during the lithium insertion and extraction processes, and thereby exhibits good cycling stability. However, the low theoretical capacity and poor electronic conductivity of CeO{sub 2} hinder its practical application. In contrast, Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} possesses high theoretical capacity, but undergoes huge volume change during cycling. To overcome these issues, CeO{sub 2} and Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles are formed inside the pores of CMK-3 and display various electrochemical behaviors due to the different morphological structures of CeO{sub 2} and Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} within CMK-3. Moreover, the graphene/metal oxide/CMK-3 composites with a hierarchical structure are then prepared and exhibit better electrochemical performances than metal oxides with or without CMK-3. This novel synthesis strategy is hopefully employed in the electrode materials design for Li-ion batteries or other energy conversion and storage devices.

  13. Improved rapidly-quenched hydrogen-absorbing alloys for development of improved-capacity nickel metal hydride batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ise, Tadashi; Hamamatsu, Takeo; Imoto, Teruhiko; Nogami, Mitsuzo; Nakahori, Shinsuke

    The effects of annealing a rapidly-quenched hydrogen-absorbing alloy with a stoichiometric ratio of 4.76 were investigated concerning its hydrogen-absorbing properties, crystal structure and electrochemical characteristics. Annealing at 1073 K homogenized the alloy microstructure and flattened its plateau slope in the P-C isotherms. However, annealing at 1273 K segregated a second phase rich in rare earth elements, increased the hydrogen-absorbing pressure and decreased the hydrogen-absorbing capacity. As the number of charge-discharge cycles increases, the particle size distribution of the rapidly-quenched alloy became broad due to partial pulverization. However, particle size distribution of the rapidly-quenched, annealed, alloy was sharp, since the annealing homogenized the microstructure, thereby improving the cycle characteristics. A high-capacity rectangular nickel metal hydride battery using a rapidly-quenched, annealed, surface-treated alloy for the negative electrode and an active material coated with cobalt compound containing sodium for the positive electrode was developed. The capacity of the resulting battery was 30% greater than that of a conventional battery.

  14. Discharge capacity and microstructures of La Mg Pr Al Mn Co Ni alloys for nickel-metal hydride batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casini, J.C.S.; Galdino, G.S.; Ferreira, E.A.; Takiishi, H.; Faria, R.N.

    2010-01-01

    La 0.7-x Mg x Pr 0.3 Al 0.3 Mn 0.4 Co 0.5 Ni 3.8 (x = 0.0, 0.3 and 0.7) alloys have been investigated aiming the production of negative electrodes for nickel-metal hydride batteries. The alloys employed in this work were used in the as cast state. The results showed that the substitution of magnesium by lanthanum increased the discharge capacity of the Ni-MH batteries. A battery produced with the La 0.4 Mg 0.3 Pr 0.3 Al 0.3 Mn 0.4 Co 0.5 Ni 3.8 alloy shown a high discharge capacity (380mAh/g) also good stability compared to other alloys. The electrode materials were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). (author)

  15. Complex metal hydrides for hydrogen, thermal and electrochemical energy storage

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Kasper T.; Sheppard, Drew; Ravnsbæk, Dorthe B.

    2017-01-01

    field. This review illustrates that complex metal hydrides may store hydrogen in the solid state, act as novel battery materials, both as electrolytes and electrode materials, or store solar heat in a more efficient manner as compared to traditional heat storage materials. Furthermore, it is highlighted...... how complex metal hydrides may act in an integrated setup with a fuel cell. This review focuses on the unique properties of light element complex metal hydrides mainly based on boron, nitrogen and aluminum, e.g., metal borohydrides and metal alanates. Our hope is that this review can provide new...

  16. Metals recovery of spent household batteries using a hydrometallurgical process; Recuperacao de metais de sucatas de pilhas e baterias pos-consumo utilizando processamento hidrometalurgico

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Souza, K.P.; Tenorio, J.A.S., E-mail: kprovazi@gmail.co [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Metalurgica e de Materiais

    2010-07-01

    The objective of the work is to study a method for metals recovery from a sample composed by a mixture of the main types of spent household batteries. Segregation of the main metals is investigated using a treatment route consisting of the following steps: manual identified and dismantling, grinding, electric furnace reduction, acid leaching and selective precipitation with sodium hydroxide with and without hydrogen peroxide. Before and after precipitations the solutions had been analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP/OES) and the precipitated analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Spectrometry of Energy Dispersion Spectroscopy (EDS). The results had indicated that the great majority of metals had been precipitated in pHs studied, also had co-precipitation or simultaneous precipitation of metals in some pHs. (author)

  17. Hydrometallurgical process for the recovery of metal values from spent lithium-ion batteries in citric acid media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiangping; Zhou, Tao

    2014-11-01

    In this paper, a hydrometallurgical process has been proposed to recover valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries in citric acid media. Leaching efficiencies as high as 97%, 95%, 94%, and 99% of Ni, Co, Mn, and Li were achieved under the optimal leaching experimental conditions of citric acid concentration of 2 mol L(-1), leaching temperature of 80 °C, leaching time of 90 min, liquid-solid ratio of 30 ml g(-1), and 2 vol. % H2O2. For the metals recovery process, nickel and cobalt were selectively precipitated by dimethylglyoxime reagent and ammonium oxalate sequentially. Then manganese was extracted by Na-D2EHPA and the manganese-loaded D2EHPA was stripped with sulfuric acid. The manganese was recovered as MnSO4 in aqueous phase and D2EHPA could be reused after saponification. Finally, lithium was precipitated by 0.5 mol L(-1) sodium phosphate. Under their optimal conditions, the recovery percentages of Ni, Co, Mn, and Li can reach 98%, 97%, 98%, and 89%, respectively. This is a relatively simple route in which all metal values could be effectively leached and recovered in citric acid media. © The Author(s) 2014.

  18. Influence of surface coating on structure and properties of metallic lithium anode for rechargeable Li-O2 battery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Q.; Wang, Q.; Ma, Q.; Song, Q.; Chen, Q.

    2017-07-01

    Amorphous lithium phosphorous oxynitride film was coated directly on pre-treated lithium metal as anode of lithium air battery by radio-frequency sputtering technique from a Li3PO4 target. The structure and composition of modified anode was analyzed before and after charge/discharge test in a lithium-air battery, which comprises 0.5M LiNO3/TEGDME as the electrolyte and super P carbon as cathode. Batteries were galvanostatically discharged by an Arbin BT-2000 battery tester between open current voltage and 2.15V vs. Li+/Li at various current regimes ranging from 0.1–0.4mA/cm2. Compared with fresh lithium, LIPON-coated anode exhibited better electrochemical performance. Good charging efficiency of 90% at a narrower voltage gap with high ionic conductivity of 9.4×10−5S/cm was achieved through optimizing lithium pre-treated conditions, sputtering N2 flows and suitable solute for electrolyte. (Author)

  19. Pore-Confined Light Metal Hydrides for Energy Storage and Catalysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bramwell, P.L.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/371685117

    2017-01-01

    Light metal hydrides have enjoyed several decades of attention in the field of hydrogen storage, but their applications have recently begun to diversify more and more into the broader field of energy storage. For example, light metal hydrides have shown great promise as battery materials, in sensors

  20. Metallated metal-organic frameworks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bury, Wojciech; Farha, Omar K.; Hupp, Joseph T.; Mondloch, Joseph E.

    2017-08-22

    Porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and metallated porous MOFs are provided. Also provided are methods of metallating porous MOFs using atomic layer deposition and methods of using the metallated MOFs as catalysts and in remediation applications.

  1. Hierarchical Chitin Fibers with Aligned Nanofibrillar Architectures: A Nonwoven-Mat Separator for Lithium Metal Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Joong-Kwon; Kim, Do Hyeong; Joo, Se Hun; Choi, Byeongwook; Cha, Aming; Kim, Kwang Min; Kwon, Tae-Hyuk; Kwak, Sang Kyu; Kang, Seok Ju; Jin, Jungho

    2017-06-27

    Here, we introduce regenerated fibers of chitin (Chiber), the second most abundant biopolymer after cellulose, and propose its utility as a nonwoven fiber separator for lithium metal batteries (LMBs) that exhibits an excellent electrolyte-uptaking capability and Li-dendrite-mitigating performance. Chiber is produced by a centrifugal jet-spinning technique, which allows a simple and fast production of Chibers consisting of hierarchically aligned self-assembled chitin nanofibers. Following the scrutinization on the Chiber-Li-ion interaction via computational methods, we demonstrate the potential of Chiber as a nonwoven mat-type separator by monitoring it in Li-O 2 and Na-O 2 cells.

  2. Graphene-wrapped sulfur/metal organic framework-derived microporous carbon composite for lithium sulfur batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Renjie, E-mail: kx210@cam.ac.uk, E-mail: chenrj@bit.edu.cn; Zhao, Teng [Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Environment, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FS (United Kingdom); Tian, Tian; Fairen-Jimenez, David [Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3RA (United Kingdom); Cao, Shuai; Coxon, Paul R.; Xi, Kai, E-mail: kx210@cam.ac.uk, E-mail: chenrj@bit.edu.cn; Vasant Kumar, R.; Cheetham, Anthony K. [Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FS (United Kingdom)

    2014-12-01

    A three-dimensional hierarchical sandwich-type graphene sheet-sulfur/carbon (GS-S/C{sub ZIF8-D}) composite for use in a cathode for a lithium sulfur (Li-S) battery has been prepared by an ultrasonic method. The microporous carbon host was prepared by a one-step pyrolysis of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8), a typical zinc-containing metal organic framework (MOF), which offers a tunable porous structure into which electro-active sulfur can be diffused. The thin graphene sheet, wrapped around the sulfur/zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 derived carbon (S/C{sub ZIF8-D}) composite, has excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical flexibility, thus facilitating rapid electron transport and accommodating the changes in volume of the sulfur electrode. Compared with the S/C{sub ZIF8-D} sample, Li-S batteries with the GS-S/C{sub ZIF8-D} composite cathode showed enhanced capacity, improved electrochemical stability, and relatively high columbic efficiency by taking advantage of the synergistic effects of the microporous carbon from ZIF-8 and a highly interconnected graphene network. Our results demonstrate that a porous MOF-derived scaffold with a wrapped graphene conductive network structure is a potentially efficient design for a battery electrode that can meet the challenge arising from low conductivity and volume change.

  3. Graphene-wrapped sulfur/metal organic framework-derived microporous carbon composite for lithium sulfur batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renjie Chen

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available A three-dimensional hierarchical sandwich-type graphene sheet-sulfur/carbon (GS-S/CZIF8-D composite for use in a cathode for a lithium sulfur (Li-S battery has been prepared by an ultrasonic method. The microporous carbon host was prepared by a one-step pyrolysis of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8, a typical zinc-containing metal organic framework (MOF, which offers a tunable porous structure into which electro-active sulfur can be diffused. The thin graphene sheet, wrapped around the sulfur/zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 derived carbon (S/CZIF8-D composite, has excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical flexibility, thus facilitating rapid electron transport and accommodating the changes in volume of the sulfur electrode. Compared with the S/CZIF8-D sample, Li-S batteries with the GS-S/CZIF8-D composite cathode showed enhanced capacity, improved electrochemical stability, and relatively high columbic efficiency by taking advantage of the synergistic effects of the microporous carbon from ZIF-8 and a highly interconnected graphene network. Our results demonstrate that a porous MOF-derived scaffold with a wrapped graphene conductive network structure is a potentially efficient design for a battery electrode that can meet the challenge arising from low conductivity and volume change.

  4. Highly active, bi-functional and metal-free B4C-nanoparticle-modified graphite felt electrodes for vanadium redox flow batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, H. R.; Shyy, W.; Wu, M. C.; Wei, L.; Zhao, T. S.

    2017-10-01

    The potential of B4C as a metal-free catalyst for vanadium redox reactions is investigated by first-principles calculations. Results show that the central carbon atom of B4C can act as a highly active reaction site for redox reactions, due primarily to the abundant unpaired electrons around it. The catalytic effect is then verified experimentally by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests, both of which demonstrate that B4C nanoparticles can enhance the kinetics for both V2+/V3+ and VO2+/VO2+ redox reactions, indicating a bi-functional effect. The B4C-nanoparticle-modified graphite felt electrodes are finally prepared and tested in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). It is shown that the batteries with the prepared electrodes exhibit energy efficiencies of 88.9% and 80.0% at the current densities of 80 and 160 mA cm-2, which are 16.6% and 18.8% higher than those with the original graphite felt electrodes. With a further increase in current densities to 240 and 320 mA cm-2, the batteries can still maintain energy efficiencies of 72.0% and 63.8%, respectively. All these results show that the B4C-nanoparticle-modified graphite felt electrode outperforms existing metal-free catalyst modified electrodes, and thus can be promising electrodes for VRFBs.

  5. Investigations of metal leaching from mobile phone parts using TCLP and WET methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Satyamanyu; Yadav, Sudesh

    2014-11-01

    Metal leaching from landfills containing end-of-life or otherwise discarded mobile phones poses a threat to the environment as well as public health. In the present study, the metal toxicity of printed wire boards (PWBs), plastics, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and batteries of mobile phones was assessed using the Toxicity Characteristics Leaching Procedures (TCLP) and the Waste Extraction Test (WET). The PWBs failed TCLP for Pb and Se, and WET for Pb and Zn. In WET, the two PWB samples for Pb and Zn and the battery samples for Co and Cu failed the test. Furthermore, the PWBS for Ni and the battery samples for Ni and Co failed the WET in their TCLP leachates. Both, Ni and Co are the regulatory metals in only WET and not covered under TCLP. These observations indicate that the TCLP seems to be a more aggressive test than the WET for the metal leaching from the mobile phone parts. The compositional variations, nature of leaching solution (acetate in TCLP and citrate in WET) and the redox conditions in the leaching solution of the PWBs resulted in different order of metals with respect to their amounts of leaching from PWBs in TCLP (Fe > Pb > Zn > Ni > Co > Cu) and WET (Zn > Fe > Ni > Pb > Cu). The metal leaching also varied with the make, manufacturing year and part of the mobile phone tested. PWBs, plastics and batteries should be treated as hazardous waste. Metal leaching, particularly of Se and Pb, from mobile phones can be harmful to the environment and human health. Therefore, a scientifically sound and environmentally safe handling and disposal management system needs to be evolved for the mobile phone disposal. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Low Cost Metal Carbide Nanocrystals as Binding and Electrocatalytic Sites for High Performance Li-S Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Fei; Li, Zheng; Luo, Xuan; Wu, Tong; Jiang, Bin; Lu, Lei-Lei; Yao, Hong-Bin; Antonietti, Markus; Yu, Shu-Hong

    2018-02-14

    Lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries are considered as promising energy storage systems for the next generation of batteries due to their high theoretical energy densities and low cost. Much effort has been made to improve the practical energy densities and cycling stability of Li-S batteries via diverse designs of materials nanostructure. However, achieving simultaneously good rate capabilities and stable cycling of Li-S batteries is still challenging. Herein, we propose a strategy to utilize a dual effect of metal carbide nanoparticles decorated on carbon nanofibers (MC NPs-CNFs) to realize high rate performance, low hysteresis, and long cycling stability of Li-S batteries in one system. The adsorption experiments of lithium polysulfides (LiPS) to MC NPs and corresponding theoretical calculations demonstrate that LiPS are likely to be adsorbed and diffused on the surface of MC NPs because of their moderate chemical bonding. MC NPs turn out to have also an electrocatalytic role and accelerate electrochemical redox reactions of LiPS, as proven by cyclic voltammetry analysis. The fabricated Li-S batteries based on the W 2 C NPs-CNFs hybrid electrodes display not only high specific capacity of 1200 mAh/g at 0.2C but also excellent rate performance and cycling stability, for example, a model setup can be operated at 1C for 500 cycles maintaining a final specific capacity of 605 mAh/g with a degradation rate as low as 0.06%/cycle.

  7. Discharge capacity and microstructures of La Mg Pr Al Mn Co Ni alloys for nickel-metal hydride batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Casini, J.C.S.; Galdino, G.S.; Ferreira, E.A.; Takiishi, H.; Faria, R.N., E-mail: jcasini@ipen.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (DM/IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Dept. de Metalurgia

    2010-07-01

    La{sub 0.7-x}Mg{sub x}Pr{sub 0.3}Al{sub 0.3}Mn{sub 0.4}Co{sub 0.5}Ni{sub 3.8} (x = 0.0, 0.3 and 0.7) alloys have been investigated aiming the production of negative electrodes for nickel-metal hydride batteries. The alloys employed in this work were used in the as cast state. The results showed that the substitution of magnesium by lanthanum increased the discharge capacity of the Ni-MH batteries. A battery produced with the La{sub 0.4}Mg{sub 0.3}Pr{sub 0.3}Al{sub 0.3}Mn{sub 0.4}Co{sub 0.5}Ni{sub 3.8} alloy shown a high discharge capacity (380mAh/g) also good stability compared to other alloys. The electrode materials were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). (author)

  8. Metal-decored graphites as anode materials for use in lithium-ion accumulators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Licht, Bjoern Karl

    2015-01-01

    Graphitic materials are currently the most frequently used anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIB). This type of battery is considered to be the ideal application for energy storage in electromobility or in mobile devices that require a high power density. Although intercalated graphite has only about 8 % of the gravimetric energy density of lithium metal, these materials are preferred due to safety reasons. However, by chemical modification of the surface, the electrochemical performance of graphite can be enhanced. In the thesis presented at hand, a novel synthesis route for the preparation of homogenous metal depositions on graphite is shown. The reaction proceeds via a gas phase reaction by the thermal decomposition of metal carboxylates. The decomposition process was analyzed by thermogravimetry and gas phase analysis. In comparison to the unmodified graphite, copper-coated graphite shows in increased capacity and cycle stability when used as anode materials in LIBs. Special emphasis should be placed on an improved adhesion of the active material on the copper current collector. The proven catalytic activity of the metal depositions not only enables a use in battery devices but could also be innovating for catalytic processes such as chlorine-alkali electrolysis.

  9. Enhanced Stability of Li Metal Anode by using a 3D Porous Nickel Substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Lu; Canfield, Nathan L.; Chen, Shuru; Lee, Hongkyung; Ren, Xiaodi; Engelhard, Mark H.; Li, Qiuyan; Liu, Jun; Xu, Wu; Zhang, Jiguang

    2018-03-02

    Lithium (Li) metal is considered the “holy grail” anode for high energy density batteries, but its applications in rechargeable Li metal batteries are still hindered by the formation of Li dendrites and low Coulombic efficiency for Li plating/stripping. An effective strategy to stabilize Li metal is by embedding Li metal anode in a three-dimensional (3D) current collector. Here, a highly porous 3D Ni substrate is reported to effectively stabilize Li metal anode. Using galvanostatic intermittent titration technique combined with scanning electron microscopy, the underlying mechanism on the improved stability of Li metal anode is revealed. It is clearly demonstrated that the use of porous 3D Ni substrate can effectively suppress the formation of “dead” Li and forms a dense surface layer, whereas a porous “dead” Li layer is accumulated on the 2D Li metal which eventually leads to mass transport limitations. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results further revealed the compositional differences in the solid-electrolyte interphase layer formed on the Li metal embedded in porous 3D Ni substrate and the 2D copper substrate.

  10. Method of producing homogeneous mixed metal oxides and metal-metal oxide mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quinby, T.C.

    1980-01-01

    A method for preparing particulate metal or metal oxide of controlled partile size comprises contacting an an aqueous solution containing dissolved metal values with excess urea at a temperature sufficient to cause urea to react with water to provide a molten urea solution containing the metal values; heating the molten urea solution to cause the metal values to precipitate, forming a mixture containing precipitated metal values; heating the mixture containing precipitated metal values to evaporate volatile material leaving a dry powder containing said metal values. The dry powder can be calcined to provide particulate metal oxide or reduced to provide particulate metal. Oxide mixtures are provided when the aqueous solution contains values of more than one metal. Homogeneousmetal-metal oxide mistures for preparing cermets can be prepared by selectively reducing at least one of the metal oxides. (auth)

  11. Nitrogen-modified carbon nanostructures derived from metal-organic frameworks as high performance anodes for Li-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, Cai; Zhao, Chongchong; Xin, Fengxia; Cao, Can; Han, Wei-Qiang

    2015-01-01

    Here, we report preparation of nitrogen-modified nanostructure carbons through carbonization of Cu-based metal organic nanofibers at 700 °C under argon gas atmosphere. After removal of copper through chemical treatment with acids, pure N-modified nanostructure carbon with a nitrogen content of 8.62 wt% is obtained. When use as anodes for lithium-ion battery, the nanostructure carbon electrode has a discharge capacity of 853.1 mAh g −1 measured at a current of 500 mA g −1 after 800 cycles.

  12. Simulations of thermal Rayleigh-Marangoni convection in a three-layer liquid-metal-battery model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Köllner, Thomas; Boeck, Thomas; Schumacher, Jörg

    2017-11-01

    Operating a liquid-metal battery produces Ohmic losses in the electrolyte layer that separates both metal electrodes. As a consequence, temperature gradients establish which potentially cause thermal convection since density and interfacial tension depend on the local temperature. In our numerical investigations, we considered three plane, immiscible layers governed by the Navier-Stokes-Boussinesq equations held at a constant temperature of 500°C at the bottom and top. A homogeneous current is applied that leads to a preferential heating of the mid electrolyte layer. We chose a typical material combination of Li separated by LiCl-KCl (a molten salt) from Pb-Bi for which we analyzed the linear stability of pure thermal conduction and performed three-dimensional direct-numerical simulations by a pseudospectral method probing different: electrolyte layer heights, overall heights, and current densities. Four instability mechanisms are identified, which are partly coupled to each other: buoyant convection in the upper electrode, buoyant convection in the molten salt layer, and Marangoni convection at both interfaces between molten salt and electrode. The global turbulent heat transfer follows scaling predictions for internally heated buoyant convection. Financial support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under Grant No. KO 5515/1-1 is gratefully acknowledged.

  13. Advances in the development of ovonic nickel metal hydride batteries for industrial and electric vehicles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venkatesan, S.; Fetcenko, M.A.; Dhar, S.K.; Ovshinsky, S.R.

    1991-01-01

    This paper reports that increasing concerns over urban pollution and continued uncertainties about oil supplies have forced the government and industry to refocus their attention on electric vehicles. Despite enormous expenditures in research and development for the ideal battery system, no commercially viable candidate has emerged. The battery systems being considered today due to renewed environmental concerns are still the same systems that were so extensively tested over the last 15 years. For immediate application, an electric vehicle designer has very little choice other than the lead-acid battery despite the fact that energy density is so low as to make vehicle range inadequate, as well as the need for replacement every 20,000 miles. The high energy density projections of Na-S and other so-called high energy batteries have proven to be significantly less in practical modules and there are still concern over cycle life which can be attained under aggressive conditions, reliability under freeze/thaw cycling and consequences resulting from high temperature operation. The conventional nickel-based systems (Ni- Zn, Ni-Fe, Ni-Cd) provide near term higher energy density as compared to lead-acid, but still do not address other important issues such as long life, the need for maintenance-free operation, the use of nontoxic materials and low cost. Against this background, the development of Ovonic Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries for electric vehicles has been rapid and successful. Ovonic No-Mh battery technology is uniquely qualified for electric vehicles due to its high energy density, high discharge rate capability, non-toxic alloys, long cycle life. low cost, tolerance to abuse and ability to be sealed for totally maintenance free operation

  14. LiCl-LiI molten salt electrolyte with bismuth-lead positive electrode for liquid metal battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Junsoo; Shin, Donghyeok; Jung, Youngjae; Hwang, Soo Min; Song, Taeseup; Kim, Youngsik; Paik, Ungyu

    2018-02-01

    Liquid metal batteries (LMBs) are attractive energy storage device for large-scale energy storage system (ESS) due to the simple cell configuration and their high rate capability. The high operation temperature caused by high melting temperature of both the molten salt electrolyte and metal electrodes can induce the critical issues related to the maintenance cost and degradation of electrochemical properties resulting from the thermal corrosion of materials. Here, we report a new chemistry of LiCl-LiI electrolyte and Bi-Pb positive electrode to lower the operation temperature of Li-based LMBs and achieve the long-term stability. The cell (Li|LiCl-LiI|Bi-Pb) is operated at 410 °C by employing the LiCl-LiI (LiCl:LiI = 36:64 mol %) electrolyte and Bi-Pb alloy (Bi:Pb = 55.5:44.5 mol %) positive electrode. The cell shows excellent capacity retention (86.5%) and high Coulombic efficiencies over 99.3% at a high current density of 52 mA cm-2 during 1000th cycles.

  15. Method of producing homogeneous mixed metal oxides and metal--metal oxide mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quinby, T.C.

    1978-01-01

    Metal powders, metal oxide powders, and mixtures thereof of controlled particle size are provided by reacting an aqueous solution containing dissolved metal values with excess urea. Upon heating, urea reacts with water from the solution to leave a molten urea solution containing the metal values. The molten urea solution is heated to above about 180 0 C, whereupon metal values precipitate homogeneously as a powder. The powder is reduced to metal or calcined to form oxide particles. One or more metal oxides in a mixture can be selectively reduced to produce metal particles or a mixture of metal and metal oxide particles

  16. Vanadium oxide based cpd. useful as a cathode active material - is used in lithium or alkali metal batteries to prolong life cycles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    1997-01-01

    A mixt. of metallic iron particles and vanadium pentoxide contg. V in its pentavalent state in a liq. is reacted to convert at least some of the pentavalent V to its tetravalent state and form a gel. The liq. phase is then sepd. from the oxide based gel to obtain a solid material(I) comprising Fe......, V and oxygen where at least some of the V is in the tetravalent state. USE-(I) is a cathode active material in electric current producing storage cells. ADVANTAGE-Use of (I) in Li or alkali metal batteries gives prolonged life cycles.Storage cells using (I) have improved capacity during charge...

  17. Determination of the Levels of some Heavy Metals in Urban Run

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The heavy metals in urban road sediments take their origin from sources such as vehicles, road wear, activities of roadside artisans (battery charging, vehicle repairs, iron-bending, vehicle painting and panel beating) and emissions and /or discharges fi'om industries. The metals come mainly from vehicular activities such as ...

  18. Metallic lithium: state-of-art, production and perspectives for the Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogasawara, Tsuneharu; Almendra, Ericksson Rocha e; Silva, Flavio Teixeira da

    1995-01-01

    After consideration on the main lithium minerals, the metallic lithium production by lithium chloride in molten salts is reviewed. The perspective and the strategic relevance for the Brazil are examined, taking into consideration the various applications, specifically high energy density batteries with emphasis on thermal batteries, and batteries operating at ambient temperature

  19. Methods for recovering precious metals from industrial waste

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canda, L.; Heput, T.; Ardelean, E.

    2016-02-01

    The accelerated rate of industrialization increases the demand for precious metals, while high quality natural resources are diminished quantitatively, with significant operating costs. Precious metals recovery can be successfully made from waste, considered to be secondary sources of raw material. In recent years, concerns and interest of researchers for more increasing efficient methods to recover these metals, taking into account the more severe environmental protection legislation. Precious metals are used in a wide range of applications, both in electronic and communications equipment, spacecraft and jet aircraft engines and for mobile phones or catalytic converters. The most commonly recovered precious metals are: gold from jewellery and electronics, silver from X- ray films and photographic emulsions, industrial applications (catalysts, batteries, glass/mirrors), jewellery; platinum group metals from catalytic converters, catalysts for the refining of crude oil, industrial catalysts, nitric acid manufacturing plant, the carbon-based catalyst, e-waste. An important aspect is the economic viability of recycling processes related to complex waste flows. Hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical routes are the most important ways of processing electrical and electronic equipment waste. The necessity of recovering precious metals has opened new opportunities for future research.

  20. High-energy metal air batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ji-Guang; Xiao, Jie; Xu, Wu; Wang, Deyu; Williford, Ralph E.; Liu, Jun

    2013-07-09

    Disclosed herein are embodiments of lithium/air batteries and methods of making and using the same. Certain embodiments are pouch-cell batteries encased within an oxygen-permeable membrane packaging material that is less than 2% of the total battery weight. Some embodiments include a hybrid air electrode comprising carbon and an ion insertion material, wherein the mass ratio of ion insertion material to carbon is 0.2 to 0.8. The air electrode may include hydrophobic, porous fibers. In particular embodiments, the air electrode is soaked with an electrolyte comprising one or more solvents including dimethyl ether, and the dimethyl ether subsequently is evacuated from the soaked electrode. In other embodiments, the electrolyte comprises 10-20% crown ether by weight.

  1. Progress in aqueous rechargeable batteries

    OpenAIRE

    Jilei Liu; Chaohe Xu; Zhen Chen; Shibing Ni; Ze Xiang Shen

    2018-01-01

    Over the past decades, a series of aqueous rechargeable batteries (ARBs) were explored, investigated and demonstrated. Among them, aqueous rechargeable alkali-metal ion (Li+, Na+, K+) batteries, aqueous rechargeable-metal ion (Zn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Al3+) batteries and aqueous rechargeable hybrid batteries are standing out due to peculiar properties. In this review, we focus on the fundamental basics of these batteries, and discuss the scientific and/or technological achievements and challenges. B...

  2. Assessment of some heavy metals in the surrounding soils of an ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    OYELEKE PETER

    soils of an automobile battery factory in Ibadan, Nigeria. Peter Olaoye Oyeleke ... The levels of heavy metals (Pd, Zn, Cr, Cd, Fe and Cu in mg/kg) in soils were assessed with respect to distance in ... potential health risk. ..... Management, Nigeria (2004). ... heavy metals in sediments in the vicinity of Ashaka Cement Factory,.

  3. Applications of porous electrodes to metal-ion removal and the design of battery systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trost, G.G.

    1983-09-01

    This dissertation treats the use of porous electrodes as electrochemical reactors for the removal of dilute metal ions. A methodology for the scale-up of porous electrodes used in battery applications is given. Removal of 4 μg Pb/cc in 1 M sulfuric acid was investigated in atmospheric and high-pressure, flow-through porous reactors. The atmospheric reactor used a reticulated vitreous carbon porous bed coated in situ with a mercury film. Best results show 98% removal of lead from the feed stream. Results are summarized in a dimensionless plot of Sherwood number vs Peclet number. High-pressure, porous-electrode experiments were performed to investigate the effect of pressure on the current efficiency. Pressures were varied up to 120 bar on electrode beds of copper or lead-coated spheres. The copper spheres showed high hydrogen evolution rates which inhibited lead deposition, even at high cathodic overpotentials. Use of lead spheres inhibited hydrogen evolution but often resulted in the formation of lead sulfate layers; these layers were difficult to reduce back to lead. Experimental data of one-dimensional porous battery electrodes are combined with a model for the current collector and cell connectors to predict ultimate specific energy and maximum specific power for complete battery systems. Discharge behavior of the plate as a whole is first presented as a function of depth of discharge. These results are combined with the voltage and weight penalties of the interconnecting bus and post, positive and negative active material, cell container, etc. to give specific results for the lithium-aluminum/iron sulfide high-temperature battery. Subject to variation is the number of positive electrodes, grid conductivity, minimum current-collector weight, and total delivered capacity. The battery can be optimized for maximum energy or power, or a compromise design may be selected

  4. Applications of porous electrodes to metal-ion removal and the design of battery systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trost, G.G.

    1983-09-01

    This dissertation treats the use of porous electrodes as electrochemical reactors for the removal of dilute metal ions. A methodology for the scale-up of porous electrodes used in battery applications is given. Removal of 4 ..mu..g Pb/cc in 1 M sulfuric acid was investigated in atmospheric and high-pressure, flow-through porous reactors. The atmospheric reactor used a reticulated vitreous carbon porous bed coated in situ with a mercury film. Best results show 98% removal of lead from the feed stream. Results are summarized in a dimensionless plot of Sherwood number vs Peclet number. High-pressure, porous-electrode experiments were performed to investigate the effect of pressure on the current efficiency. Pressures were varied up to 120 bar on electrode beds of copper or lead-coated spheres. The copper spheres showed high hydrogen evolution rates which inhibited lead deposition, even at high cathodic overpotentials. Use of lead spheres inhibited hydrogen evolution but often resulted in the formation of lead sulfate layers; these layers were difficult to reduce back to lead. Experimental data of one-dimensional porous battery electrodes are combined with a model for the current collector and cell connectors to predict ultimate specific energy and maximum specific power for complete battery systems. Discharge behavior of the plate as a whole is first presented as a function of depth of discharge. These results are combined with the voltage and weight penalties of the interconnecting bus and post, positive and negative active material, cell container, etc. to give specific results for the lithium-aluminum/iron sulfide high-temperature battery. Subject to variation is the number of positive electrodes, grid conductivity, minimum current-collector weight, and total delivered capacity. The battery can be optimized for maximum energy or power, or a compromise design may be selected.

  5. Recycling and Disposal of Lithium Battery: Economic and Environmental Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ataur Rahman

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The adoption of Lithium-ion battery technology for Electric Vehicle/Hybrid electric vehicle has received attention worldwide recently. The price of cobalt (Co and lithium (Li has increased due to the production of EV/HEV.  The used lithium battery is the valuable source of active metals (Co, Li, and Al and the optimal way of extract these metals from this waste is still studied. The focus of this paper is to recovering active metals by using a hydro-metallurgical method in laboratory scale with 48.8 Wh battery to reveal the economic and environment benefits. Calcination on extracted active metals as pre-thermal treatment has been conducted at 700°C to remove the organic compounds from the surface of active metals. The experiment has been conducted and the result shows that the recovery of active metals (cathode is 41% of cell cathode and an anode is 8.5% of the cell anode materials, which are 48.8% and 23.4% of the cathode and anode cell material price, respectively. By recycling the battery active metals about 47.34%, the emission can be reduced by 47.61% for battery metal production and 60.7% for transportation of used battery disposal. The total emission can be controlled about 52.85% by recycling the active metals on battery production.

  6. Hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode for metal-hydride alkali storage battery and hydrogen absorbing particles for metal-hydride alkali storage battery; Kinzoku-suisokabutsu arukari chikudenchiyo no suiso kyuzo gokin denkyoku oyobi kinzoku-suisokabutsu arukari chikudenchiyo no suiso kyuzo gokin ryushi

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Niiyama, K.; Konno, Y.; Maeda, R.; Nogami, K.; Nishio, K.; Saito, T.

    1996-02-02

    For preventing degradation due to oxidation of hydrogen absorbing alloy to elongate the life of batteries, a proposal has been made to coat the surface of hydrogen absorbing alloy with electroless nickel plated film. When the surfaces of hydrogen absorbing alloy particles are coated with such electroless nickel plated films having low phosphoric acid content, however, absorption of the oxygen gas produced by overcharge delays to increase the pressure inside the battery because the plated film is unporous dense coat with high crystallinity. This invention relates to phosphoric acid containment in the ratios from 11 to 14wt% in the electroless nickel plated layer of the hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode for the metal-hydride alkali storage battery. Long time is required for the initial activation when the phosphoric acid content is less than 11wt% because the crystallinity of the plated film is too high and forms a dense unporous film. On the other hand, the plated film becomes brittle and tends to peel off from the hydrogen absorbing alloy if phosphoric acid content exceeds 14wt%. 3 figs., 2 tabs.

  7. Metal Oxide/Graphene Composites for Supercapacitive Electrode Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeong, Gyoung Hwa; Baek, Seungmin; Lee, Seungyeol; Kim, Sang-Wook

    2016-04-05

    Graphene composites with metal or metal oxide nanoparticles have been extensively investigated owing to their potential applications in the fields of fuel cells, batteries, sensing, solar cells, and catalysis. Among them, much research has focused on supercapacitor applications and have come close to realization. Composites include monometal oxides of cobalt, nickel, manganese, and iron, as well as their binary and ternary oxides. In addition, their morphological control and hybrid systems of carbon nanotubes have also been investigated. This review presents the current trends in research on metal oxide/graphene composites for supercapacitors. Furthermore, methods are suggested to improve the properties of electrochemical capacitor electrodes. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. From battery modeling to battery management

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Notten, P.H.L.; Danilov, D.

    2011-01-01

    The principles of rechargeable battery operation form the basis of the electronic network models developed for Nickel-based aqueous battery systems, including Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH), and non-aqueous battery systems, such as the well-known Li-ion. These electronic network models are based on

  9. Single-ion triblock copolymer electrolytes based on poly(ethylene oxide) and methacrylic sulfonamide blocks for lithium metal batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porcarelli, Luca; Aboudzadeh, M. Ali; Rubatat, Laurent; Nair, Jijeesh R.; Shaplov, Alexander S.; Gerbaldi, Claudio; Mecerreyes, David

    2017-10-01

    Single-ion conducting polymer electrolytes represent the ideal solution to reduce concentration polarization in lithium metal batteries (LMBs). This paper reports on the synthesis and characterization of single-ion ABA triblock copolymer electrolytes comprising PEO and poly(lithium 1-[3-(methacryloyloxy)propylsulfonyl]-1-(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide) blocks, poly(LiMTFSI). Block copolymers are prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, showing low glass transition temperature (-55 to 7 °C) and degree of crystallinity (51-0%). Comparatively high values of ionic conductivity are obtained (up to ≈ 10-4 S cm-1 at 70 °C), combined with a lithium-ion transference number close to unity (tLi+ ≈ 0.91) and a 4 V electrochemical stability window. In addition to these promising features, solid polymer electrolytes are successfully tested in lithium metal cells at 70 °C providing long lifetime up to 300 cycles, and stable charge/discharge cycling at C/2 (≈100 mAh g-1).

  10. Lithium batteries, anodes, and methods of anode fabrication

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Lain-Jong

    2016-12-29

    Prelithiation of a battery anode carried out using controlled lithium metal vapor deposition. Lithium metal can be avoided in the final battery. This prelithiated electrode is used as potential anode for Li- ion or high energy Li-S battery. The prelithiation of lithium metal onto or into the anode reduces hazardous risk, is cost effective, and improves the overall capacity. The battery containing such an anode exhibits remarkably high specific capacity and a long cycle life with excellent reversibility.

  11. Kinetic study on recovery of metal values in anode slime from used lead batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Itoh, S.; Nagasaka, T. [Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan). Dept. of Environmental Studies; Ono, J.; Hino, M. [Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan). Dept. of Metallurgy

    2004-07-01

    Oxidation experiments were conducted with pure antimony and antimony-lead bismuth alloys to examine the oxidation kinetics and mechanisms used to treat the anode slime produced during lead electrorefining and recovery of antimony from used lead batteries. In order to recycle and recover valuable metals from the used lead batteries, the oxidation experiments were conducted with pure liquid antimony at temperatures between 973 and 1373 K. The study showed that the gas phase mass transfer step is the basic mechanisms that controls the oxidation rate for pure antimony. It was noted that the oxidation rate of the alloy was identical to that of the pure antimony, suggesting that an oxidation reaction of the anode slime proceeds at the same rate as pure antimony. This is one of the advantages of treating anode slime through oxidation. Mass transfer in the gas phase was the rate-determining step in the alloy oxidation reaction. It was concluded that a higher oxygen partial pressure and sufficient gas flow rate at temperature of 1073 K is needed to conserve energy and recovery antimony oxide. 13 refs., 2 tabs., 12 figs.

  12. Alkali-Metal-Ion-Functionalized Graphene Oxide as a Superior Anode Material for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan, Fang; Li, Yu-Han; Liu, Dai-Huo; Guo, Jin-Zhi; Sun, Hai-Zhu; Zhang, Jing-Ping; Wu, Xing-Long

    2016-06-06

    Although graphene oxide (GO) has large interlayer spacing, it is still inappropriate to use it as an anode for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) because of the existence of H-bonding between the layers and ultralow electrical conductivity which impedes the Na(+) and e(-) transformation. To solve these issues, chemical, thermal, and electrochemical procedures are traditionally employed to reduce GO nanosheets. However, these strategies are still unscalable, consume high amounts of energy, and are expensive for practical application. Here, for the first time, we describe the superior Na storage of unreduced GO by a simple and scalable alkali-metal-ion (Li(+) , Na(+) , K(+) )-functionalized process. The various alkali metals ions, connecting with the oxygen on GO, have played different effects on morphology, porosity, degree of disorder, and electrical conductivity, which are crucial for Na-storage capabilities. Electrochemical tests demonstrated that sodium-ion-functionalized GO (GNa) has shown outstanding Na-storage performance in terms of excellent rate capability and long-term cycle life (110 mAh g(-1) after 600 cycles at 1 A g(-1) ) owing to its high BET area, appropriate mesopore, high degree of disorder, and improved electrical conductivity. Theoretical calculations were performed using the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) to further study the Na-storage capabilities of functionalized GO. These calculations have indicated that the Na-O bond has the lowest binding energy, which is beneficial to insertion/extraction of the sodium ion, hence the GNa has shown the best Na-storage properties among all comparatives functionalized by other alkali metal ions. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. ANTIREFLECTION MULTILAYER COATINGS WITH THIN METAL LAYERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. A. Gubanova

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The design of anti-reflective coatings for metal surfaces of Al, Ti, N,i Cr is proposed. The coatings have the form of alternating layers of dielectric/metal/dielectric with the number of cells up to15. The method of calculation of such coatings is proposed. We have calculated the coatings of the type [HfO2/Cr/HfO2]15, [ZrO2/Ti/Al2O3]15, [ZrO2/Cr/ZrO2]15. It is shown that the proposed interference coatings provide reduction of the residual reflectance of the metal several times (from 3.5 to 6.0 in a wide spectral range (300-1000 nm. The proposed coatings can be recommended as anti-reflective coatings for energy saving solar systems and batteries, and photovoltaic cells.

  14. Survey of mercury, cadmium and lead content of household batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Recknagel, Sebastian, E-mail: sebastian.recknagel@bam.de [BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Reference Materials, Richard-Willstätter-Straße 11, D-12489 Berlin (Germany); Radant, Hendrik [BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Reference Materials, Richard-Willstätter-Straße 11, D-12489 Berlin (Germany); Kohlmeyer, Regina [German Federal Environment Agency (UBA), Section III 1.6 Extended Producer Responsibility, Wörlitzer Platz 1, D-06844 Dessau-Roßlau (Germany)

    2014-01-15

    Highlights: • A well selected sample of 146 batteries was analysed for its heavy metals content. • A comparison was made between heavy metals contents in batteries in 2006 and 2011. • No significant change after implementation of the new EU Batteries Directive. • Severe differences in heavy metal contents were found in different battery-types. - Abstract: The objective of this work was to provide updated information on the development of the potential impact of heavy metal containing batteries on municipal waste and battery recycling processes following transposition of the new EU Batteries Directive 2006/66/EC. A representative sample of 146 different types of commercially available dry and button cells as well as lithium-ion accumulators for mobile phones were analysed for their mercury (Hg)-, cadmium (Cd)- and lead (Pb)-contents. The methods used for preparing the cells and analysing the heavy metals Hg, Cd, and Pb were either developed during a former study or newly developed. Several batteries contained higher mass fractions of mercury or cadmium than the EU limits. Only half of the batteries with mercury and/or lead fractions above the marking thresholds were labelled. Alkaline–manganese mono-cells and Li-ion accumulators, on average, contained the lowest heavy metal concentrations, while zinc–carbon batteries, on average, contained the highest levels.

  15. Survey of mercury, cadmium and lead content of household batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Recknagel, Sebastian; Radant, Hendrik; Kohlmeyer, Regina

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • A well selected sample of 146 batteries was analysed for its heavy metals content. • A comparison was made between heavy metals contents in batteries in 2006 and 2011. • No significant change after implementation of the new EU Batteries Directive. • Severe differences in heavy metal contents were found in different battery-types. - Abstract: The objective of this work was to provide updated information on the development of the potential impact of heavy metal containing batteries on municipal waste and battery recycling processes following transposition of the new EU Batteries Directive 2006/66/EC. A representative sample of 146 different types of commercially available dry and button cells as well as lithium-ion accumulators for mobile phones were analysed for their mercury (Hg)-, cadmium (Cd)- and lead (Pb)-contents. The methods used for preparing the cells and analysing the heavy metals Hg, Cd, and Pb were either developed during a former study or newly developed. Several batteries contained higher mass fractions of mercury or cadmium than the EU limits. Only half of the batteries with mercury and/or lead fractions above the marking thresholds were labelled. Alkaline–manganese mono-cells and Li-ion accumulators, on average, contained the lowest heavy metal concentrations, while zinc–carbon batteries, on average, contained the highest levels

  16. Extracting metals directly from metal oxides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wai, C.M.; Smart, N.G.; Phelps, C.

    1997-01-01

    A method of extracting metals directly from metal oxides by exposing the oxide to a supercritical fluid solvent containing a chelating agent is described. Preferably, the metal is an actinide or a lanthanide. More preferably, the metal is uranium, thorium or plutonium. The chelating agent forms chelates that are soluble in the supercritical fluid, thereby allowing direct removal of the metal from the metal oxide. In preferred embodiments, the extraction solvent is supercritical carbon dioxide and the chelating agent is selected from the group consisting of β-diketones, halogenated β-diketones, phosphinic acids, halogenated phosphinic acids, carboxylic acids, halogenated carboxylic acids, and mixtures thereof. In especially preferred embodiments, at least one of the chelating agents is fluorinated. The method provides an environmentally benign process for removing metals from metal oxides without using acids or biologically harmful solvents. The chelate and supercritical fluid can be regenerated, and the metal recovered, to provide an economic, efficient process. 4 figs

  17. Piperidinium tethered nanoparticle-hybrid electrolyte for lithium metal batteries

    KAUST Repository

    Korf, Kevin S.

    2014-06-23

    We report on the synthesis of novel piperidinium-based ionic liquid tethered nanoparticle hybrid electrolytes and investigate their physical and electrochemical properties. Hybrid electrolytes based on the ionic liquid 1-methyl-1-propylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfone) imide covalently tethered to silica nanoparticles (SiO2-PP-TFSI) were blended with propylene carbonate-1 M lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfone) imide (LiTFSI). We employed NMR analysis to confirm the successful creation of the hybrid material. Dielectric and rheological measurements show that these electrolytes exhibit exceptional room-temperature DC ionic conductivity (10-2 to 10 -3 S cm-1) as well as high shear mechanical moduli (105 to 106 Pa). Lithium transference numbers were found to increase with particle loading and to reach values as high as 0.22 at high particle loadings where the particle jam to form a soft glassy elastic medium. Analysis of lithium electrodeposits obtained in the hybrid electrolytes using SEM and EDX spectra show that the SiO2-PP-TFSI nanoparticles are able to smooth lithium deposition and inhibit lithium dendrite proliferation in Li metal batteries. LTOSiO2-PP-TFSI/PC in 1 M LiTFSILi half-cells based on the SiO2-PP-TFSI hybrid electrolytes exhibit attractive voltage profiles and trouble-free extended cycling behavior over more than 1000 cycles of charge and discharge. This journal is © the Partner Organisations 2014.

  18. Equivalent circuit parameters of nickel/metal hydride batteries from sparse impedance measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelatury, Sudarshan Rao; Singh, Pritpal

    In a recent communication, a method for extracting the equivalent circuit parameters of a lead acid battery from sparse (only three) impedance spectroscopy observations at three different frequencies was proposed. It was based on an equivalent circuit consisting of a bulk resistance, a reaction resistance and a constant phase element (CPE). Such a circuit is a very appropriate model of a lead-acid cell at high state of charge (SOC). This paper is a sequel to it and presents an application of it in case of nickel/metal hydride (Ni/MH) batteries, which also at high SOC are represented by the same circuit configuration. But when the SOC of a Ni/MH battery under interrogation goes low, The EIS curve has a positive slope at the low frequency end and our technique yields complex values for the otherwise real circuit parameters, suggesting the need for additional elements in the equivalent circuit and a definite relationship between parameter consistency and SOC. To improvise the previous algorithm, in order that it works reasonably well at both high and low SOCs, we propose three more measurements—two at very low frequencies to include the Warburg response and one at a high frequency to model the series inductance, in addition to the three in the mid frequency band—totally six measurements. In most of the today's instrumentation, it is the user who should choose the circuit configuration and the number of frequencies where impedance should be measured and the accompanying software performs data fitting by complex nonlinear least squares. The proposed method has built into it an SOC-based decision-making capability—both to choose the circuit configuration and to estimate the values of the circuit elements.

  19. Solid-state lithium battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ihlefeld, Jon; Clem, Paul G; Edney, Cynthia; Ingersoll, David; Nagasubramanian, Ganesan; Fenton, Kyle Ross

    2014-11-04

    The present invention is directed to a higher power, thin film lithium-ion electrolyte on a metallic substrate, enabling mass-produced solid-state lithium batteries. High-temperature thermodynamic equilibrium processing enables co-firing of oxides and base metals, providing a means to integrate the crystalline, lithium-stable, fast lithium-ion conductor lanthanum lithium tantalate (La.sub.1/3-xLi.sub.3xTaO.sub.3) directly with a thin metal foil current collector appropriate for a lithium-free solid-state battery.

  20. Lithium batteries, anodes, and methods of anode fabrication

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Lain-Jong; Wu, Feng-Yu; Kumar, Pushpendra; Ming, Jun

    2016-01-01

    Prelithiation of a battery anode carried out using controlled lithium metal vapor deposition. Lithium metal can be avoided in the final battery. This prelithiated electrode is used as potential anode for Li- ion or high energy Li-S battery

  1. Self-assembled nitrogen-doped fullerenes and their catalysis for fuel cell and rechargeable metal-air battery applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noh, Seung Hyo; Kwon, Choah; Hwang, Jeemin; Ohsaka, Takeo; Kim, Beom-Jun; Kim, Tae-Young; Yoon, Young-Gi; Chen, Zhongwei; Seo, Min Ho; Han, Byungchan

    2017-06-08

    In this study, we report self-assembled nitrogen-doped fullerenes (N-fullerene) as non-precious catalysts, which are active for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and thus applicable for energy conversion and storage devices such as fuel cells and metal-air battery systems. We screen the best N-fullerene catalyst at the nitrogen doping level of 10 at%, not at the previously known doping level of 5 or 20 at% for graphene. We identify that the compressive surface strain induced by doped nitrogen plays a key role in the fine-tuning of catalytic activity.

  2. Assessment of high-temperature battery systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sen, R K

    1989-02-01

    Three classes of high-temperature batteries are being developed internationally with transportation and stationary energy storage applications in mind: sodium/sulfur, lithium/metal sulfide, and sodium/metal chloride. Most attention is being given to the sodium/sulfur system. The Office of Energy Storage and Distribution (OESD) and the Office of Transportation Systems (OTS) of the US Department of Energy (DOE) are actively supporting the development of this battery system. It is anticipated that pilot-scale production facilities for sodium/sulfur batteries will be in operation in the next couple of years. The lithium/metal sulfide and the sodium/metal chloride systems are not receiving the same level of attention as the sodium/sulfur battery. Both of these systems are in an earlier stage of development than sodium/sulfur. OTS and OESD are supporting work on the lithium/iron sulfide battery in collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI); the work is being carried out at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The sodium/metal chloride battery, the newest member of the group, is being developed by a Consortium of South African and British companies. Very little DOE funds are presently allocated for research on this battery. The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate the present status of the three technologies and to identify for each technology a prioritized list of R and D issues. Finally, the assessment includes recommendations to DOE for a proposed high-temperature battery research and development program. 18 figs., 21 tabs.

  3. Inorganic-Organic Coating via Molecular Layer Deposition Enables Long Life Sodium Metal Anode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yang; Goncharova, Lyudmila V; Zhang, Qian; Kaghazchi, Payam; Sun, Qian; Lushington, Andrew; Wang, Biqiong; Li, Ruying; Sun, Xueliang

    2017-09-13

    Metallic Na anode is considered as a promising alternative candidate for Na ion batteries (NIBs) and Na metal batteries (NMBs) due to its high specific capacity, and low potential. However, the unstable solid electrolyte interphase layer caused by serious corrosion and reaction in electrolyte will lead to big challenges, including dendrite growth, low Coulombic efficiency and even safety issues. In this paper, we first demonstrate the inorganic-organic coating via advanced molecular layer deposition (alucone) as a protective layer for metallic Na anode. By protecting Na anode with controllable alucone layer, the dendrites and mossy Na formation have been effectively suppressed and the lifetime has been significantly improved. Moreover, the molecular layer deposition alucone coating shows better performances than the atomic layer deposition Al 2 O 3 coating. The novel design of molecular layer deposition protected Na metal anode may bring in new opportunities to the realization of the next-generation high energy-density NIBs and NMBs.

  4. Electric batteries and the environment. Die Batterie und die Umwelt

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hiller, F; Hartinger, L; Kiehne, H A; Niklas, H; Schiele, R; Steil, H U

    1987-01-01

    The book deals with the production, use and waste management of batteries (accumulators and primary batteries), with regard to protection of the environment. Legal, technical and medical aspects are shown. There are numerous electro-chemical systems, but only few proved to be really good in practice. Most batteries contain lead, cadmium or mercury and must therefore be eliminated in a way doing no harm to the environment. Large quantities of the above named heavy metals are today already being recovered by means of appropriate procedures. The reduction of these heavy metals in batteries is also described to be a contribution to the protection of the environment. (orig.) With 67 figs.

  5. High-Tc SQUID Application for Roll to Roll Metallic Contaminant Detector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanaka, S.; Kitamura, Y.; Uchida, Y.; Hatsukade, Y.; Ohtani, T.; Suzuki, S.

    2012-01-01

    A sensitive eight-channel high-Tc Superconducting Interference Device (SQUID) detection system for magnetic contaminant in a lithium ion battery anode was developed. Finding ultra-small metallic foreign matter is an important issue for a manufacturer because metallic contaminants carry the risk of an internal short. When contamination occurs, the manufacturer of the product suffers a great loss from recalling the tainted product. Metallic particles with outer dimensions smaller than 100 microns cannot be detected using a conventional X-ray imaging system. Therefore, a highly sensitive detection system for small foreign matter is required. We have already developed a detection system based on a single-channel SQUID gradiometer and horizontal magnetization. For practical use, the detection width of the system should be increased to at least 65 mm by employing multiple sensors. In this paper, we present an 8-ch high-Tc SQUID roll-to-roll system for inspecting a lithium-ion battery anode with a width of 65 mm. A special microscopic type of a cryostat was developed upon which eight SQUID gradiometers were mounted. As a result, small iron particles of 35 microns on a real lithium-ion battery anode with a width of 70 mm were successfully detected. This system is practical for the detection of contaminants in a lithium ion battery anode sheet.

  6. Atmospheric toxic metals emission inventory and spatial characteristics from anthropogenic sources of Guangdong province, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cher, S.; Menghua, L.; Xiao, X.; Yuqi, W.; Zhuangmin, Z.; Zhijiong, H.; Cheng, L.; Guanglin, J.; Zibing, Y.; Junyu, Z.

    2017-12-01

    Atmospheric toxic metals (TMs) are part of particulate matters, and may create adverse effects on the environment and human health depending upon their bioavailability and toxicity. Localized emission inventory is fundamental for parsing of toxic metals to identify key sources in order to formulate efficient toxic metals control strategies. With the use of the latest municipal level environment statistical data, this study developed a bottom-up emission inventory of five toxic metals (Hg, As, Pb, Cd, Cr) from anthropogenic activities in Guangdong province for the year of 2014. Major atmospheric toxic metals sources including combustion sources (coal, oil, biomass, municipal solid waste) and industrial process sources (cement production, nonferrous metal smelting, iron and steel industry, battery and fluorescent lamp production) were investigated. Results showed that: (1) The total emissions of Hg, As, Pb, Cd, Cr in Guangdong province were 18.14, 32.59, 411.34, 13.13, 84.16 t, respectively. (2) Different pollutants have obvious characteristics of emission sources. For total Hg emission, 46% comes from combustion sources, of which 32% from coal combustion and 8% from MSW combustion. Other 54% comes from industrial processes, which dominated by the cement (19%), fluorescent lamp (18%) and battery production (13%). Of the total Hg emission, 69% is released as Hg0 , 29% as Hg2+ , and only 2% as Hgp due to strict particulate matters controls policies. For As emissions, coal combustion, nonferrous metal smelting and iron and steel industry contributed approximate 48%, 25% and 24%, respectively. Pb emissions primarily come from battery production (42%), iron and steel industry (21%) and on-road mobile gasoline combustion (17%). Cd and Cr emissions were dominated by nonferrous metal smelting (71%) and iron and steel industry (82%), respectively. (3) In term of the spatial distribution, emissions of atmospheric toxic metals are mainly concentrated in the central region of

  7. Durability of metals from archaeological objects, metal meteorites, and native metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, A.B. Jr.; Francis, B.

    1980-01-01

    Metal durability is an important consideration in the multi-barrier nuclear waste storage concept. This study summarizes the ancient metals, the environments, and factors which appear to have contributed to metal longevity. Archaeological and radiochemical dating suggest that human use of metals began in the period 6000 to 7000 BC. Gold is clearly the most durable, but many objects fashioned from silver, copper, bronze, iron, lead, and tin have survived for several thousand years. Dry environments, such as tombs, appear to be optimum for metal preservation, but some metals have survived in shipwrecks for over a thousand years. The metal meteorites are Fe-base alloys with 5 to 60 wt% Ni and minor amounts of Co, I, and S. Some meteoritic masses with ages estimated to be 5,000 to 20,000 years have weathered very little, while other masses from the same meteorites are in advanced stages of weathering. Native metals are natural metallic ores. Approximately five million tonnes were mined from native copper deposits in Michigan. Copper masses from the Michigan deposits were transported by the Pleistocene glaciers. Areas on the copper surfaces which appear to represent glacial abrasion show minimal corrosion. Dry cooling tower technology has demonstrated that in pollution-free moist environments, metals fare better at temperatures above than below the dewpoint. Thus, in moderate temperature regimes, elevated temperatures may be useful rather than detrimental for exposures of metal to air. In liquid environments, relatively complex radiolysis reactions can occur, particularly where multiple species are present. A dry environment largely obviates radiolysis effects

  8. Durability of metals from archaeological objects, metal meteorites, and native metals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Johnson, A.B. Jr.; Francis, B.

    1980-01-01

    Metal durability is an important consideration in the multi-barrier nuclear waste storage concept. This study summarizes the ancient metals, the environments, and factors which appear to have contributed to metal longevity. Archaeological and radiochemical dating suggest that human use of metals began in the period 6000 to 7000 BC. Gold is clearly the most durable, but many objects fashioned from silver, copper, bronze, iron, lead, and tin have survived for several thousand years. Dry environments, such as tombs, appear to be optimum for metal preservation, but some metals have survived in shipwrecks for over a thousand years. The metal meteorites are Fe-base alloys with 5 to 60 wt% Ni and minor amounts of Co, I, and S. Some meteoritic masses with ages estimated to be 5,000 to 20,000 years have weathered very little, while other masses from the same meteorites are in advanced stages of weathering. Native metals are natural metallic ores. Approximately five million tonnes were mined from native copper deposits in Michigan. Copper masses from the Michigan deposits were transported by the Pleistocene glaciers. Areas on the copper surfaces which appear to represent glacial abrasion show minimal corrosion. Dry cooling tower technology has demonstrated that in pollution-free moist environments, metals fare better at temperatures above than below the dewpoint. Thus, in moderate temperature regimes, elevated temperatures may be useful rather than detrimental for exposures of metal to air. In liquid environments, relatively complex radiolysis reactions can occur, particularly where multiple species are present. A dry environment largely obviates radiolysis effects.

  9. Method for intercalating alkali metal ions into carbon electrodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doeff, Marca M.; Ma, Yanping; Visco, Steven J.; DeJonghe, Lutgard

    1995-01-01

    A low cost, relatively flexible, carbon electrode for use in a secondary battery is described. A method is provided for producing same, including intercalating alkali metal salts such as sodium and lithium into carbon.

  10. MetalS(3), a database-mining tool for the identification of structurally similar metal sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valasatava, Yana; Rosato, Antonio; Cavallaro, Gabriele; Andreini, Claudia

    2014-08-01

    We have developed a database search tool to identify metal sites having structural similarity to a query metal site structure within the MetalPDB database of minimal functional sites (MFSs) contained in metal-binding biological macromolecules. MFSs describe the local environment around the metal(s) independently of the larger context of the macromolecular structure. Such a local environment has a determinant role in tuning the chemical reactivity of the metal, ultimately contributing to the functional properties of the whole system. The database search tool, which we called MetalS(3) (Metal Sites Similarity Search), can be accessed through a Web interface at http://metalweb.cerm.unifi.it/tools/metals3/ . MetalS(3) uses a suitably adapted version of an algorithm that we previously developed to systematically compare the structure of the query metal site with each MFS in MetalPDB. For each MFS, the best superposition is kept. All these superpositions are then ranked according to the MetalS(3) scoring function and are presented to the user in tabular form. The user can interact with the output Web page to visualize the structural alignment or the sequence alignment derived from it. Options to filter the results are available. Test calculations show that the MetalS(3) output correlates well with expectations from protein homology considerations. Furthermore, we describe some usage scenarios that highlight the usefulness of MetalS(3) to obtain mechanistic and functional hints regardless of homology.

  11. Progress of liquid metal technology and application in energy industries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyazaki, Keiji; Kamei, Mitsuru; Nei, Hiromichi.

    1990-01-01

    Liquid metals are excellent energy transport media, and recently remarkable development has been observed in the technology of handling sodium and the machinery and equipment. In nuclear fusion, the development of the use of lithium as the coolant is advanced. For space technology, attention has been paid from the early stage to various liquid metals. For general industries, liquid metals have been used for high temperature heat pipes and the utilization of solar heat, and mercury vapor turbines were manufactured for trial. Besides, attention is paid anew to liquid metal MHD electric power generation. The development of the NaS batteries for electric cars and electric power storage and the interchange of liquid metal technology with the fields of iron and steel, metallurgy and so on advance. It is expected that liquid metal technology bears future advanced energy engineering while deepening the interchange with other advanced fields also in order to reactivate atomic energy technology. Liquid metals have the features of high electric and thermal conductivities, chemical activity and opaque property as metals, and fluidity and relatively high boiling point and melting point as liquids. FBRs, fusion reactors and the power sources for space use are described. (K.I.)

  12. Recent Advances in Antimicrobial Hydrogels Containing Metal Ions and Metals/Metal Oxide Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fazli Wahid

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Recently, the rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens has caused a serious health problem. Scientists respond to the threat by developing new antimicrobial materials to prevent or control infections caused by these pathogens. Polymer-based nanocomposite hydrogels are versatile materials as an alternative to conventional antimicrobial agents. Cross-linking of polymeric materials by metal ions or the combination of polymeric hydrogels with nanoparticles (metals and metal oxide is a simple and effective approach for obtaining a multicomponent system with diverse functionalities. Several metals and metal oxides such as silver (Ag, gold (Au, zinc oxide (ZnO, copper oxide (CuO, titanium dioxide (TiO2 and magnesium oxide (MgO have been loaded into hydrogels for antimicrobial applications. The incorporation of metals and metal oxide nanoparticles into hydrogels not only enhances the antimicrobial activity of hydrogels, but also improve their mechanical characteristics. Herein, we summarize recent advances in hydrogels containing metal ions, metals and metal oxide nanoparticles with potential antimicrobial properties.

  13. Metallic ions catalysis for improving bioleaching yield of Zn and Mn from spent Zn-Mn batteries at high pulp density of 10.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, Zhirui; Huang, Qifei; Wang, Jia; Yang, Yiran; Xin, Baoping; Chen, Shi

    2015-11-15

    Bioleaching of spent batteries was often conducted at pulp density of 1.0% or lower. In this work, metallic ions catalytic bioleaching was used for release Zn and Mn from spent ZMBs at 10% of pulp density. The results showed only Cu(2+) improved mobilization of Zn and Mn from the spent batteries among tested four metallic ions. When Cu(2+) content increased from 0 to 0.8 g/L, the maximum release efficiency elevated from 47.7% to 62.5% for Zn and from 30.9% to 62.4% for Mn, respectively. The Cu(2+) catalysis boosted bioleaching of resistant hetaerolite through forming a possible intermediate CuMn2O4 which was subject to be attacked by Fe(3+) based on a cycle of Fe(3+)/Fe(2+). However, poor growth of cells, formation of KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6 and its possible blockage between cells and energy matters destroyed the cycle of Fe(3+)/Fe(2+), stopping bioleaching of hetaerolite. The chemical reaction controlled model fitted best for describing Cu(2+) catalytic bioleaching of spent ZMBs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. A Stable, Magnetic, and Metallic Li3O4 Compound as a Discharge Product in a Li-Air Battery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Guochun; Wang, Yanchao; Ma, Yanming

    2014-08-07

    The Li-air battery with the specific energy exceeding that of a Li ion battery has been aimed as the next-generation battery. The improvement of the performance of the Li-air battery needs a full resolution of the actual discharge products. Li2O2 has been long recognized as the main discharge product, with which, however, there are obvious failures on the understanding of various experimental observations (e.g., magnetism, oxygen K-edge spectrum, etc.) on discharge products. There is a possibility of the existence of other Li-O compounds unknown thus far. Here, a hitherto unknown Li3O4 compound as a discharge product of the Li-air battery was predicted through first-principles swarm structure searching calculations. The new compound has a unique structure featuring the mixture of superoxide O2(-) and peroxide O2(2-), the first such example in the Li-O system. The existence of superoxide O2(-) creates magnetism and hole-doped metallicity. Findings of Li3O4 gave rise to direct explanations of the unresolved experimental magnetism, triple peaks of oxygen K-edge spectra, and the Raman peak at 1125 cm(-1) of the discharge products. Our work enables an opportunity for the performance of capacity, charge overpotential, and round-trip efficiency of the Li-air battery.

  15. Environmental, health, and safety issues of sodium-sulfur batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles. Volume 3, Transport of sodium-sulfur and sodium-metal-chloride batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hammel, C J

    1992-09-01

    This report examines the shipping regulations that govern the shipment of dangerous goods. Since the elemental sodium contained in both sodium-sulfur and sodium-metal-chloride batteries is classified as a dangerous good, and is listed on both the national and international hazardous materials listings, both national and international regulatory processes are considered in this report The interrelationships as well as the differences between the two processes are highlighted. It is important to note that the transport regulatory processes examined in this report are reviewed within the context of assessing the necessary steps needed to provide for the domestic and international transport of sodium-beta batteries. The need for such an assessment was determined by the Shipping Sub-Working Group (SSWG) of the EV Battery Readiness Working Group (Working Group), created in 1990. The Working Group was created to examine the regulatory issues pertaining to in-vehicle safety, shipping, and recycling of sodium-sulfur batteries, each of which is addressed by a sub-working group. The mission of the SSWG is to establish basic provisions that will ensure the safe and efficient transport of sodium-beta batteries. To support that end, a proposal to the UN Committee of Experts was prepared by the SSWG, with the goal of obtaining a proper shipping name and UN number for sodium-beta batteries and to establish the basic transport requirements for such batteries (see the appendix for the proposal as submitted). It is emphasized that because batteries are large articles containing elemental sodium and, in some cases, sulfur, there is no existing UN entry under which they can be classified and for which modal transport requirements, such as the use of packaging appropriate for such large articles, are provided for. It is for this reason that a specific UN entry for sodium-beta batteries is considered essential.

  16. Cumulative effects of using pin fin heat sink and porous metal foam on thermal management of lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohammadian, Shahabeddin K.; Zhang, Yuwen

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • 3D transient thermal analysis of a pouch Li-ion cell has been carried out. • Using pin fin heat sink improves the temperature reduction at low pumping powers. • Using pin fin heat sink enhances the temperature uniformity at low air flow rates. • Porous aluminum foam insertion with pin fins improves temperature reduction. • Porous aluminum foam insertion with pin fins enhances temperature uniformity. - Abstract: Three-dimensional transient thermal analysis of an air-cooled module was carried out to investigate cumulative effects of using pin fin heat sink and porous metal foam on thermal management of a Li-ion (lithium-ion) battery pack. Five different cases were designed as Case 1: flow channel without any pin fin or porous metal foam insertion, Case 2: flow channel with aluminum pin fins, Case 3: flow channel with porous aluminum foam pin fins, Case 4: fully inserted flow channel with porous aluminum foam, and Case 5: fully inserted flow channel with porous aluminum foam and aluminum pin fins. The effects of porous aluminum insertions, pin fin types, air flow inlet temperature, and air flow inlet velocity on the temperature uniformity and maximum temperature inside the battery pack were systematically investigated. The results showed that using pin fin heat sink (Case 2) is appropriate only for low air flow velocities. In addition, the use of porous aluminum pin fins or embedding porous aluminum foam inside the air flow channel (Cases 3 and 4) are not beneficial for thermal management improvement. The combination of aluminum pin fins and porous aluminum foam insertion inside the air flow channel (Case 5) is a proper option that improves both temperature reduction and temperature uniformity inside the battery cell.

  17. Electroactive materials for rechargeable batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Huiming; Amine, Khalil; Abouimrane, Ali

    2015-04-21

    An as-prepared cathode for a secondary battery, the cathode including an alkaline source material including an alkali metal oxide, an alkali metal sulfide, an alkali metal salt, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

  18. Metal-Organic Framework Derived Iron Sulfide-Carbon Core-Shell Nanorods as a Conversion-Type Battery Material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huang, Wei; Li, Shuo; Cao, Xianyi

    2017-01-01

    of a redox conversion-type lithium-ion battery, this composite material has demonstrated high lithium-ion storage capacity at 1148 mA h g-1 under the current rate of 500 mA g-1 for 170 cycles and an impressive rate-retention capability at 657 mA h g-1 with a current density of 2000 mA g-1. On the basis......We report the design and nanoengineering of carbon-film-coated iron sulfide nanorods (C@Fe7S8) as an advanced conversion-type lithium-ion storage material. The structural advantages of the iron-based metal-organic framework (MIL-88-Fe) as both a sacrificed template and a precursor are explored...

  19. Rapid Mapping of Lithiation Dynamics in Transition Metal Oxide Particles with Operando X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nowack, Lea; Grolimund, Daniel; Samson, Vallerie; Marone, Federica; Wood, Vanessa

    2016-02-01

    Since the commercialization of lithium ion batteries (LIBs), layered transition metal oxides (LiMO2, where M = Co, Mn, Ni, or mixtures thereof) have been materials of choice for LIB cathodes. During cycling, the transition metals change their oxidation states, an effect that can be tracked by detecting energy shifts in the X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectrum. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) can therefore be used to visualize and quantify lithiation kinetics in transition metal oxide cathodes; however, in-situ measurements are often constrained by temporal resolution and X-ray dose, necessitating compromises in the electrochemistry cycling conditions used or the materials examined. We report a combined approach to reduce measurement time and X-ray exposure for operando XAS studies of lithium ion batteries. A highly discretized energy resolution coupled with advanced post-processing enables rapid yet reliable identification of the oxidation state. A full-field microscopy setup provides sub-particle resolution over a large area of battery electrode, enabling the oxidation state within many transition metal oxide particles to be tracked simultaneously. Here, we apply this approach to gain insights into the lithiation kinetics of a commercial, mixed-metal oxide cathode material, nickel cobalt aluminium oxide (NCA), during (dis)charge and its degradation during overcharge.

  20. Extraction process for removing metallic impurities from alkalide metals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Royer, Lamar T.

    1988-01-01

    A development is described for removing metallic impurities from alkali metals by employing an extraction process wherein the metallic impurities are extracted from a molten alkali metal into molten lithium metal due to the immiscibility of the alkali metals in lithium and the miscibility of the metallic contaminants or impurities in the lithium. The purified alkali metal may be readily separated from the contaminant-containing lithium metal by simple decanting due to the differences in densities and melting temperatures of the alkali metals as compared to lithium.

  1. Hydrogen storage alloys for nickel/metal hydride battery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuriyama, Nobuhiro; Sakai, Tetsuo; Myamura, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Hideaki; Ishikawa, Hiroshi; Uehara, Itsuki [Osaka National Research Inst. (Japan)

    1996-06-01

    Efforts to improve performance of metal hydride electrodes such as substitution of alloy components, heat treatment, and surface treatment intended to change surface and bulk structure of hydrogen storage alloys, mainly LaNi{sub 5} based alloys, are reviewed. The importance of control of morphology is emphasized. (author)

  2. Metal hydrides: an innovative and challenging conversion reaction anode for lithium-ion batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luc Aymard

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The state of the art of conversion reactions of metal hydrides (MH with lithium is presented and discussed in this review with regard to the use of these hydrides as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. A focus on the gravimetric and volumetric storage capacities for different examples from binary, ternary and complex hydrides is presented, with a comparison between thermodynamic prediction and experimental results. MgH2 constitutes one of the most attractive metal hydrides with a reversible capacity of 1480 mA·h·g−1 at a suitable potential (0.5 V vs Li+/Li0 and the lowest electrode polarization (2, TiH2, complex hydrides Mg2MHx and other Mg-based hydrides. The reversible conversion reaction mechanism of MgH2, which is lithium-controlled, can be extended to others hydrides as: MHx + xLi+ + xe− in equilibrium with M + xLiH. Other reaction paths—involving solid solutions, metastable distorted phases, and phases with low hydrogen content—were recently reported for TiH2 and Mg2FeH6, Mg2CoH5 and Mg2NiH4. The importance of fundamental aspects to overcome technological difficulties is discussed with a focus on conversion reaction limitations in the case of MgH2. The influence of MgH2 particle size, mechanical grinding, hydrogen sorption cycles, grinding with carbon, reactive milling under hydrogen, and metal and catalyst addition to the MgH2/carbon composite on kinetics improvement and reversibility is presented. Drastic technological improvement in order to the enhance conversion process efficiencies is needed for practical applications. The main goals are minimizing the impact of electrode volume variation during lithium extraction and overcoming the poor electronic conductivity of LiH. To use polymer binders to improve the cycle life of the hydride-based electrode and to synthesize nanoscale composite hydride can be helpful to address these drawbacks. The development of high-capacity hydride anodes should be inspired by the emergent

  3. Metal hydrides: an innovative and challenging conversion reaction anode for lithium-ion batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aymard, Luc; Oumellal, Yassine; Bonnet, Jean-Pierre

    2015-01-01

    The state of the art of conversion reactions of metal hydrides (MH) with lithium is presented and discussed in this review with regard to the use of these hydrides as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. A focus on the gravimetric and volumetric storage capacities for different examples from binary, ternary and complex hydrides is presented, with a comparison between thermodynamic prediction and experimental results. MgH2 constitutes one of the most attractive metal hydrides with a reversible capacity of 1480 mA·h·g(-1) at a suitable potential (0.5 V vs Li(+)/Li(0)) and the lowest electrode polarization (lithium are subsequently detailed for MgH2, TiH2, complex hydrides Mg2MH x and other Mg-based hydrides. The reversible conversion reaction mechanism of MgH2, which is lithium-controlled, can be extended to others hydrides as: MH x + xLi(+) + xe(-) in equilibrium with M + xLiH. Other reaction paths-involving solid solutions, metastable distorted phases, and phases with low hydrogen content-were recently reported for TiH2 and Mg2FeH6, Mg2CoH5 and Mg2NiH4. The importance of fundamental aspects to overcome technological difficulties is discussed with a focus on conversion reaction limitations in the case of MgH2. The influence of MgH2 particle size, mechanical grinding, hydrogen sorption cycles, grinding with carbon, reactive milling under hydrogen, and metal and catalyst addition to the MgH2/carbon composite on kinetics improvement and reversibility is presented. Drastic technological improvement in order to the enhance conversion process efficiencies is needed for practical applications. The main goals are minimizing the impact of electrode volume variation during lithium extraction and overcoming the poor electronic conductivity of LiH. To use polymer binders to improve the cycle life of the hydride-based electrode and to synthesize nanoscale composite hydride can be helpful to address these drawbacks. The development of high-capacity hydride anodes should

  4. Nanoscale zinc-based metal-organic framework with high capacity for lithium-ion batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shi, Changdong [Changzhou University, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, and Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center (China); Gao, Yuanrui; Liu, Lili [Shanghai University, Department of Chemistry, College of Science (China); Song, Yidan; Wang, Xianmei [Changzhou University, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, and Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center (China); Liu, Hong-Jiang, E-mail: liuhj@shu.edu.cn [Shanghai University, Department of Chemistry, College of Science (China); Liu, Qi, E-mail: liuqi62@163.com [Changzhou University, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, and Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center (China)

    2016-12-15

    Layered zinc-based metal-organic framework ([Zn(4,4′-bpy)(tfbdc)(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}], Zn-LMOF) nanosheets were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method (4,4′-bpy = 4,4′-bipyridine, H{sub 2}tfbdc = tetrafluoroterephthalic acid). The materials were characterized by IR spectrum, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface. When the Zn-LMOF nanosheets with the thickness of about 24 ± 8 nm were used as an anode material of lithium-ion batteries, not only the Zn-LMOF electrode shows a high reversible capacity, retaining 623 mAh g{sup −1} after 100 cycles at a current density of 50 mA g{sup −1} but also exhibits an excellent cyclic stability and a higher rate performance.

  5. Metal-metal-hofteproteser

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ulrich, Michael; Overgaard, Søren; Penny, Jeannette

    2014-01-01

    In Denmark 4,456 metal-on-metal (MoM) hip prostheses have been implanted. Evidence demonstrates that some patients develope adverse biological reactions causing failures of MoM hip arthroplasty. Some reactions might be systemic. Failure rates are associated with the type and the design of the Mo...

  6. Closing the Loop: Key Role of Iron in Metal-Bearing Waste Recycling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sedlakova-Kadukova J.

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The role of iron in metal-bearing waste bioleaching was studied. Four various types of waste (printed circuit boards (PCBs, Ni-Cd batteries, alkaline batteries and Li-ion batteries were treated by bioleaching using the acidophilic bacteria A. ferrooxidans and A. thiooxidans (separately or in mixture. Role of main leaching agents (Fe3+ ions or sulphuric acid was simulated in abiotic experiments. Results showed that oxidation abilities of Fe3+ ions were crucial for recovery of Cu and Zn from PCBs, with the efficiencies of 88% and 100%, respectively. To recover 68% of Ni from PCBs, and 55% and 100% of Ni and Cd, respectively, from Ni-Cd batteries both oxidation action and hydrolysis of Fe3+ were required. The importance of Fe2+ ions as a reducing agent was showed in bioleaching of Co from Li-ion batteries and Mn from alkaline batteries. The efficiency of the processes has increased by 70% and 40% in Co and Mn bioleaching, respectively, in the presence of Fe2+ ions. Based on the results we suggest the integrated biometallurgical model of metal-bearing waste recycling in the effort to develop zero-waste and less energy-dependent technologies.

  7. Novel strategy for the preparation of graphene-encapsulated mesoporous metal oxides with enhanced lithium storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, Rong; Yue, Wenbo; Niu, Fangzhou; Ma, Jie

    2016-01-01

    As potential anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, mesoporous metal oxides show high reversible capacities but relatively poor cycle stability due to the structural collapse during cycles. Graphene-encapsulated mesoporous metal oxides may increase the electronic conductivity of the composite as well as stabilize the mesostructure of metal oxides, thereby enhancing the electrochemical performance of mesoporous metal oxides. Herein we describe a novel strategy for the preparation of graphene-encapsulated mesoporous metal oxides (SnO_2, Mn_3O_4), which exhibit superior electrochemical performance compared to pure mesoporous metal oxides. Moreover, some mesoporous metal oxides may be further reduced to low-valence metal oxides when calcined in presence of graphene. Mesoporous metal oxides with high isoelectric points are not essential for this synthesis method since metal oxides are connected with graphene through mesoporous silica template, thus expanding the types of graphene-encapsulated mesoporous metal oxides.

  8. Self-healing liquid/solid state battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burke, Paul J.; Chung, Brice H.V.; Phadke, Satyajit R.; Ning, Xiaohui; Sadoway, Donald R.

    2018-02-27

    A battery system that exchanges energy with an external device is provided. The battery system includes a positive electrode having a first metal or alloy, a negative electrode having a second metal or alloy, and an electrolyte including a salt of the second metal or alloy. The positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the electrolyte are in a liquid phase at an operating temperature during at least one portion of operation. The positive electrode is entirely in a liquid phase in one charged state and includes a solid phase in another charged state. The solid phase of the positive electrode includes a solid intermetallic formed by the first and the second metals or alloys. Methods of storing electrical energy from an external circuit using such a battery system are also provided.

  9. Passive film formation on metals in thionyl-chloride electrolytes for lithium batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cieslak, W. R.; Delnick, F. M.; Peebles, D. E.; Rogers, J. W., Jr.

    We have studied the anodic behavior of Pt, Mo, Ni, and stainless steel (SS) electrodes in 1.5M LiAlCl/SOCl solution in order to determine the mechanisms by which these metals resist corrosion. Polarization and complex impedance indicate that Pt and Mo behave as inert electrodes, while Ni and SS form passive films in this electrolyte. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) confirms the lack of oxidized metal species on the Pt and Mo surfaces following anodic polarization. XPS results also show that the Ni and SS do form passive layers, and identifies these layers as predominantly metal chlorides.

  10. Rare earth element recycling from waste nickel-metal hydride batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xiuli; Zhang, Junwei; Fang, Xihui

    2014-08-30

    With an increase in number of waste nickel-metal hydride batteries, and because of the importance of rare earth elements, the recycling of rare earth elements is becoming increasingly important. In this paper, we investigate the effects of temperature, hydrochloric acid concentration, and leaching time to optimize leaching conditions and determine leach kinetics. The results indicate that an increase in temperature, hydrochloric acid concentration, and leaching time enhance the leaching rate of rare earth elements. A maximum rare earth elements recovery of 95.16% was achieved at optimal leaching conditions of 70°C, solid/liquid ratio of 1:10, 20% hydrochloric acid concentration, -74μm particle size, and 100min leaching time. The experimental data were best fitted by a chemical reaction-controlled model. The activation energy was 43.98kJ/mol and the reaction order for hydrochloric acid concentration was 0.64. The kinetic equation for the leaching process was found to be: 1-(1-x)(1/3)=A/ρr0[HCl](0.64)exp-439,8008.314Tt. After leaching and filtration, by adding saturated oxalic solution to the filtrate, rare earth element oxalates were obtained. After removing impurities by adding ammonia, filtering, washing with dilute hydrochloric acid, and calcining at 810°C, a final product of 99% pure rare earth oxides was obtained. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Metal-on-metal hip joint tribology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dowson, D; Jin, Z M

    2006-02-01

    The basic tribological features of metal-on-metal total hip replacements have been reviewed to facilitate an understanding of the engineering science underpinning the renaissance of these hard-on-hard joints. Metal-on-polymer hip replacements operate in the boundary lubrication regime, thus leading to the design guidance to reduce the femoral head diameter as much as is feasible to minimize frictional torque and volumetric wear. This explains why the gold-standard implant of this form from the past half-century had a diameter of only 22.225 mm (7/8 in). Metal-on-metal implants can operate in the mild mixed lubrication regime in which much of the applied load is supported by elastohydrodynamic films. Correct tribological design leads to remarkably low steady state wear rates. Promotion of the most effective elastohydrodynamic films calls for the largest possible head diameters and the smallest clearances that can reasonably be adopted, consistent with fine surface finishes, good sphericity and minimal structural elastic deformation of the cup on its foundations. This guidance, which is opposite in form to that developed for metal-on-polymer joints, is equally valid for solid (monolithic) metallic heads on metallic femoral stems and surface replacement femoral shells. Laboratory measurements of friction and wear in metal-on-metal joints have confirmed their potential to achieve a very mild form of mixed lubrication. The key lies in the generation of effective elastohydrodynamic lubricating films of adequate thickness compared with the composite roughness of the head and cup. The calculation of the film thickness is by no means easy, but the full procedure is outlined and the use of an empirical formula that displays good agreement with calculations based upon the full numerical solutions is explained. The representation of the lambda ratio, lambda, embracing both film thickness and composite roughness, is described.

  12. Passive film formation on metals in thionyl-chloride electrolytes for lithium batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cieslak, W.R.; Delnick, F.M.; Peebles, D.E.; Rogers, J.W. Jr.

    1986-01-01

    We have studied the anodic behavior of Pt, Mo, Ni, and stainless steel (SS) electodes in 1.5M LiAlCl/sub 4//SOCl/sub 2/ solution in order to determine the mechanisms by which these metals resist corrosion. Polarization and complex impedance indicate that Pt and Mo behave as inert electrodes, while Ni and SS form passive films in this electrolyte. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) confirms the lack of oxidized metal species on the Pt and Mo surfaces following anodic polarization. XPS results also show that the Ni and SS do form passive layers, and identifies these layers as predominantly metal chlorides.

  13. Passive film formation on metals in thionyl-chloride electrolytes for lithium batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cieslak, W.R.; Delnick, F.M.; Peebles, D.E.; Rogers, J.W. Jr.

    1986-01-01

    The authors have studied the anodic behavior of Pt, Mo, Ni, and stainless steel (SS) electrodes in 1.5M LiAlCl/sub 4//SOCl/sub 2/ solution in order to determine the mechanisms by which these metals resist corrosion. Polarization and complex impedance indicate that Pt and Mo behave as inert electrodes, while Ni and SS form passive films in this electrolyte. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) confirms the lack of oxidized metal species on the Pt and Mo surfaces following anodic polarization. XPS results also show that the Ni and SS do form passive layers, and identifies these layers as predominantly metal chlorides

  14. Predicting dietborne metal toxicity from metal influxes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Croteau, M.-N.; Luoma, S.N.

    2009-01-01

    Dietborne metal uptake prevails for many species in nature. However, the links between dietary metal exposure and toxicity are not well understood. Sources of uncertainty include the lack of suitable tracers to quantify exposure for metals such as copper, the difficulty to assess dietary processes such as food ingestion rate, and the complexity to link metal bioaccumulation and effects. We characterized dietborne copper, nickel, and cadmium influxes in a freshwater gastropod exposed to diatoms labeled with enriched stable metal isotopes. Metal influxes in Lymnaea stagnalis correlated linearly with dietborne metal concentrations over a range encompassing most environmental exposures. Dietary Cd and Ni uptake rate constants (kuf) were, respectively, 3.3 and 2.3 times higher than that for Cu. Detoxification rate constants (k detox) were similar among metals and appeared 100 times higher than efflux rate constants (ke). Extremely high Cu concentrations reduced feeding rates, causing the relationship between exposure and influx to deviate from linearity; i.e., Cu uptake rates leveled off between 1500 and 1800 nmol g-1 day-1. L. stagnalis rapidly takes up Cu, Cd, and Ni from food but detoxifies the accumulated metals, instead of reducing uptake or intensifying excretion. Above a threshold uptake rate, however, the detoxification capabilities of L. stagnalis are overwhelmed.

  15. Metal Matrix Composite Solar Cell Metallization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wilt David M.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Advanced solar cells are moving to ever thinner formats in order to save mass and in some cases improve performance. As cells are thinned, the possibility that they may fracture or cleave due to mechanical stresses is increased. Fractures of the cell can degrade the overall device performance if the fracture propagates through the contact metallization, which frequently occurs. To address this problem, a novel semiconductor metallization system based on multi-walled carbon nanotube (CNT reinforcement, termed metal matrix composite (MMC metallization is under investigation. Electro-mechanical characterization of MMC films demonstrate their ability to provide electrical conductivity over >40 micron wide cracks in the underlying semiconductor, with the carbon nanotubes bridging the gap. In addition, these materials show a “self-healing” behaviour, electrically reconnecting at ~30 microns when strained past failure. Triple junction (TJ space cells with MMC metallization demonstrated no loss in Jsc after intentional fracture, whereas TJ cells with conventional metallization suffer up to 50% Jsc loss.

  16. Method of producing homogeneous mixed metal oxides and metal-metal oxide mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-01-01

    Finely divided powders are prepared by first reacting an aqueous solution containing dissolved metal values with excess urea. After the reaction of water in the solution with urea is complete, the resulting molten urea solution is heated to cause metal values in solution to precipitate. The resulting mixture containing precipitated metal values is heated to evaporate volatile material, leaving a dry powder containing the metal values. Detailed examples are given. (U.K.)

  17. Infection or metal hypersensitivity? The diagnostic challenge of failure in metal-on-metal bearings.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Galbraith, John G

    2011-04-01

    The use of second generation metal-on-metal hip articulations has gained favour in the past few years. A hypersensitivity reaction to the metal-on-metal bearing, although rare, is a reported complication and is a novel mode of failure of these implants. Differentiating failure secondary to infection from failure secondary to metal hypersensitivity represents a significant diagnostic challenge. A retrospective review of all cases of hip arthroplasty using metal-on-metal bearings over a 5-year period at a tertiary referral centre identified 3 cases of failure secondary to metal hypersensitivity. Clinical presentation, serological markers, radiological imaging and histological analysis of all cases identified were evaluated. Histological analysis of periprosthetic tissue in all 3 cases identified characteristic features such as perivascular lymphocytic aggregates and chronic inflammation consistent with aseptic lymphocytic vasculitis-associated lesions (ALVAL). This study highlights that failure secondary to metal hypersensitivity must be considered in patients presenting with the reappearance of persistent pain, marked joint effusion, and the development of early osteolysis in the absence of infection.

  18. Alkali metal and alkali metal hydroxide intercalates of the layered transition metal disulfides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanzaki, Y.; Konuma, M.; Matsumoto, O.

    1981-01-01

    The intercalation reaction of some layered transition metal disulfides with alkali metals, alkali metal hydroxides, and tetraalkylammonium hydroxides were investigated. The alkali metal intercalates were prepared in the respective metal-hexamethylphosphoric triamide solutions in vaccuo, and the hydroxide intercalates in aqueous hydroxide solutions. According to the intercalation reaction, the c-lattice parameter was increased, and the increase indicated the expansion of the interlayer distance. In the case of alkali metal intercalates, the expansion of the interlayer distance increased continuously, corresponding to the atomic radius of the alkali metal. On the other hand, the hydroxide intercalates showed discrete expansion corresponding to the effective ionic radius of the intercalated cation. All intercalates of TaS 2 amd NbS 2 were superconductors. The expansion of the interlayer distance tended to increase the superconducting transition temperature in the intercalates of TaS 2 and vice versa in those of NbS 2 . (orig.)

  19. Schottky barrier at graphene/metal oxide interfaces: insight from first-principles calculations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Kai; Han, Nannan; Su, Yan; Zhang, Junfeng; Zhao, Jijun

    2017-02-01

    Anode materials play an important role in determining the performance of lithium ion batteries. In experiment, graphene (GR)/metal oxide (MO) composites possess excellent electrochemical properties and are promising anode materials. Here we perform density functional theory calculations to explore the interfacial interaction between GR and MO. Our result reveals generally weak physical interactions between GR and several MOs (including Cu2O, NiO). The Schottky barrier height (SBH) in these metal/semiconductor heterostructures are computed using the macroscopically averaged electrostatic potential method, and the role of interfacial dipole is discussed. The calculated SBHs below 1 eV suggest low contact resistance; thus these GR/MO composites are favorable anode materials for better lithium ion batteries.

  20. Schottky barrier at graphene/metal oxide interfaces: insight from first-principles calculations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Kai; Han, Nannan; Su, Yan; Zhang, Junfeng; Zhao, Jijun

    2017-02-06

    Anode materials play an important role in determining the performance of lithium ion batteries. In experiment, graphene (GR)/metal oxide (MO) composites possess excellent electrochemical properties and are promising anode materials. Here we perform density functional theory calculations to explore the interfacial interaction between GR and MO. Our result reveals generally weak physical interactions between GR and several MOs (including Cu2O, NiO). The Schottky barrier height (SBH) in these metal/semiconductor heterostructures are computed using the macroscopically averaged electrostatic potential method, and the role of interfacial dipole is discussed. The calculated SBHs below 1 eV suggest low contact resistance; thus these GR/MO composites are favorable anode materials for better lithium ion batteries.

  1. MultiLayer solid electrolyte for lithium thin film batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Se -Hee; Tracy, C. Edwin; Pitts, John Roland; Liu, Ping

    2015-07-28

    A lithium metal thin-film battery composite structure is provided that includes a combination of a thin, stable, solid electrolyte layer [18] such as Lipon, designed in use to be in contact with a lithium metal anode layer; and a rapid-deposit solid electrolyte layer [16] such as LiAlF.sub.4 in contact with the thin, stable, solid electrolyte layer [18]. Batteries made up of or containing these structures are more efficient to produce than other lithium metal batteries that use only a single solid electrolyte. They are also more resistant to stress and strain than batteries made using layers of only the stable, solid electrolyte materials. Furthermore, lithium anode batteries as disclosed herein are useful as rechargeable batteries.

  2. Variation in levels and removal efficiency of heavy and trace metals ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    CPUT

    trace metals from wastewater treatment plant effluents in Cape Town and .... Geographical locations and design .... The new. Bellville plant uses University of Cape Town design (UCT) ...... batteries, paints, fungicides, textiles, cosmetics, pulp,.

  3. Application of liquid metals for the extraction of solid metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borgstedt, H.U.

    1996-01-01

    Liquid metals dissolve several solid metals in considerable amounts at moderate temperatures. The dissolution processes may be based upon simple physical solubility, formation of intermetallic phases. Even chemical reactions are often observed in which non-metallic elements might be involved. Thus, the capacity to dissolve metals and chemical properties of the liquid metals play a role in these processes. Besides the solubility also chemical properties and thermochemical data are of importance. The dissolution of metals in liquid metals can be applied to separate the solutes from other metals or non-metallic phases. Relatively noble metals can be chemically reduced by the liquid phases. Such solution processes can be applied in the extractive metallurgy, for instance to extract metals from metallic waste. The recycling of metals is of high economical and ecological importance. Examples of possible processes are discussed. (author)

  4. Cell overcharge testing inside sodium metal halide battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frutschy, Kris; Chatwin, Troy; Bull, Roger

    2015-09-01

    Testing was conducted to measure electrical performance and safety of the General Electric Durathon™ E620 battery module (600 V class 20 kWh) during cell overcharge. Data gathered from this test was consistent with SAE Electric Vehicle Battery Abuse Testing specification J2464 [1]. After cell overcharge failure and 24 A current flow for additional 60 minutes, battery was then discharged at 7.5 KW average power to 12% state of charge (SOC) and recharged back to 100% SOC. This overcharging test was performed on two cells. No hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas was detected during front cell (B1) test, and small amount (6.2 ppm peak) was measured outside the battery after center cell (F13) overcharge. An additional overcharge test was performed per UL Standard 1973 - Batteries for Use in Light Electric Rail (LER) Applications and Stationary Applications[2]. With the battery at 11% SOC and 280 °C float temperature, an individual cell near the front (D1) was deliberately imbalanced by charging it to 62% SOC. The battery was then recharged to 100% SOC. In all three tests, the battery cell pack was stable and individual cell failure did not propagate to other cells. Battery discharge performance, charge performance, and electrical isolation were normal after all three tests.

  5. Silver decorated LaMnO3 nanorod/graphene composite electrocatalysts as reversible metal-air battery electrodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Jie; Liu, Qiunan; Shi, Lina; Shi, Ziwei; Huang, Hao

    2017-04-01

    Perovskite LaMnO3 nanorod/reduced graphene oxides (LMO-NR/RGO) decorated with Ag nanoparticles are studied as a bifunctional catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolyte. LMO-NR/RGO composites are synthesized by using cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as template via a simple hydrothermal reaction followed by heat treatment; overlaying of Ag nanoparticles is obtained through a traditional silver mirror reaction. Electron microscopy reveals that LMO-NR is embedded between the sheets of RGO, and the material is homogeneously overlaid with Ag nanoparticles. The unique composite morphology of Ag/LMO-NR/RGO not only enhances the electron transport property by increasing conductivity but also facilitates the diffusion of electrolytes and oxygen. As confirmed by electrochemical testing, Ag/LMO-NR/RGO exhibits very strong synergy with Ag nanoparticles, LMO-NR, and RGO, and the catalytic activities of Ag/LMO-NR/RGO during ORR and OER are significantly improved. With the novel catalyst, the homemade zinc-air battery can be reversibly charged and discharged and display a stable cycle performance, indicating the great potential of this composite as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for metal-air batteries.

  6. High-Pressure Thermodynamic Properties of f-electron Metals, Transition Metal Oxides, and Half-Metallic Magnets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Richard T. Scalettar; Warren E. Pickett

    2005-01-01

    This project involves research into the thermodynamic properties of f-electron metals, transition metal oxides, and half-metallic magnets at high pressure. These materials are ones in which the changing importance of electron-electron interactions as the distance between atoms is varied can tune the system through phase transitions from localized to delocalized electrons, from screened to unscreened magnetic moments, and from normal metal to one in which only a single spin specie can conduct. Three main thrusts are being pursued: (1) Mott transitions in transition metal oxides, (2) magnetism in half-metallic compounds, and (3) large volume-collapse transitions in f-band metals

  7. High-Pressure Thermodynamic Properties of f-electron Metals, Transition Metal Oxides, and Half-Metallic Magnets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scalettar, Richard T.; Pickett, Warren E.

    2004-07-01

    This project involves research into the thermodynamic properties of f-electron metals, transition metal oxides, and half-metallic magnets at high pressure. These materials are ones in which the changing importance of electron-electron interactions as the distance between atoms is varied can tune the system through phase transitions from localized to delocalized electrons, from screened to unscreened magnetic moments, and from normal metal to one in which only a single spin specie can conduct. Three main thrusts are being pursued: (1) Mott transitions in transition metal oxides, (2) magnetism in half-metallic compounds, and (3) large volume-collapse transitions in f-band metals.

  8. High-Pressure Thermodynamic Properties of f-electron Metals, Transition Metal Oxides, and Half-Metallic Magnets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Richard T. Scalettar; Warren E. Pickett

    2005-08-02

    This project involves research into the thermodynamic properties of f-electron metals, transition metal oxides, and half-metallic magnets at high pressure. These materials are ones in which the changing importance of electron-electron interactions as the distance between atoms is varied can tune the system through phase transitions from localized to delocalized electrons, from screened to unscreened magnetic moments, and from normal metal to one in which only a single spin specie can conduct. Three main thrusts are being pursued: (i) Mott transitions in transition metal oxides, (ii) magnetism in half-metallic compounds, and (iii) large volume-collapse transitions in f-band metals.

  9. Solid state electrolyte composites based on complex hydrides and metal doped fullerenes/fulleranes for batteries and electrochemical applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zidan, Ragaiy; Teprovich, Jr., Joseph A.; Colon-Mercado, Hector R.; Greenway, Scott D.

    2018-05-01

    A LiBH4--C60 nanocomposite that displays fast lithium ionic conduction in the solid state is provided. The material is a homogenous nanocomposite that contains both LiBH4 and a hydrogenated fullerene species. In the presence of C60, the lithium ion mobility of LiBH4 is significantly enhanced in the as prepared state when compared to pure LiBH4. After the material is annealed the lithium ion mobility is further enhanced. Constant current cycling demonstrated that the material is stable in the presence of metallic lithium electrodes. The material can serve as a solid state electrolyte in a solid-state lithium ion battery.

  10. Thermally-responsive, nonflammable phosphonium ionic liquid electrolytes for lithium metal batteries: operating at 100 degrees celsius† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Detailed ionic liquids synthesis, characterization, conductivity, cyclic voltammetry, battery cycling and those of other compositions; SEM images; energy density calculation. See DOI: 10.1039/c5sc01518a Click here for additional data file.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, X.; Kavian, R.; Lu, Y.; Hu, Q.; Shao-Horn, Y.

    2015-01-01

    Rechargeable batteries such as Li ion/Li metal batteries are widely used in the electronics market but the chemical instability of the electrolyte limits their use in more demanding environmental conditions such as in automotive, oil exploration, or mining applications. In this study, a series of alkyl phosphonium ionic liquid electrolyte are described with high thermal stability and solubility for LiTFSI. A lithium metal battery (LMB) containing a tailored phosphonium ionic liquid/LiTFSI electrolyte operates at 100 °C with good specific capacities and cycling stability. Substantial capacity is maintained during 70 cycles or 30 days. Instant on-off battery operation is realized via the significant temperature dependence of the electrolyte material, demonstrating the robustness and potential for use at high temperature. PMID:28757963

  11. Organic reductants based leaching: A sustainable process for the recovery of valuable metals from spent lithium ion batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiangping; Guo, Chunxiu; Ma, Hongrui; Li, Jiazhu; Zhou, Tao; Cao, Ling; Kang, Duozhi

    2018-05-01

    It is significant to recover metal values from spent lithium ion batteries (LIBs) for the alleviation or prevention of potential risks towards environmental pollution and public health, as well as for the conservation of valuable metals. Herein a hydrometallurgical process was proposed to explore the possibility for the leaching of different metals from waste cathodic materials (LiCoO 2 ) of spent LIBs using organics as reductant in sulfuric acid medium. According to the leaching results, about 98% Co and 96% Li can be leached under the optimal experimental conditions of reaction temperature - 95 °C, reaction time - 120 min, reductive agent dosage - 0.4 g/g, slurry density - 25 g/L, concentration of sulfuric acid-3 mol/L in H 2 SO 4  + glucose leaching system. Similar results (96% Co and 100% Li) can be obtained in H 2 SO 4  + sucrose leaching system under optimized leaching conditions. Despite a complete leaching of Li (∼100%), only 54% Co can be dissolved in the H 2 SO 4  + cellulose leaching system under optimized leaching conditions. Finally, different characterization methods, including UV-Vis, FT-IR, SEM and XRD, were employed for the tentative exploration of reductive leaching reactions using organic as reductant in sulfuric acid medium. All the leaching and characterization results confirm that both glucose and sucrose are effective reductants during leaching, while cellulose should be further degraded to organics with low molecular weights to achieve a satisfactory leaching performance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Battery Modeling: A Versatile Tool to Design Advanced Battery Management Systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Notten, P.H.L.; Danilov, D.L.

    Fundamental physical and (electro) chemical principles of rechargeable battery operation form the basis of the electronic network models developed for Nickel-based aqueous battery systems, including Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH), and non-aqueous battery systems, such as the well-known Li-ion. Refined

  13. Progress in aqueous rechargeable batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jilei Liu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Over the past decades, a series of aqueous rechargeable batteries (ARBs were explored, investigated and demonstrated. Among them, aqueous rechargeable alkali-metal ion (Li+, Na+, K+ batteries, aqueous rechargeable-metal ion (Zn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Al3+ batteries and aqueous rechargeable hybrid batteries are standing out due to peculiar properties. In this review, we focus on the fundamental basics of these batteries, and discuss the scientific and/or technological achievements and challenges. By critically reviewing state-of-the-art technologies and the most promising results so far, we aim to analyze the benefits of ARBs and the critical issues to be addressed, and to promote better development of ARBs.

  14. Revealing Nanoscale Passivation and Corrosion Mechanisms of Reactive Battery Materials in Gas Environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yuzhang; Li, Yanbin; Sun, Yongming; Butz, Benjamin; Yan, Kai; Koh, Ai Leen; Zhao, Jie; Pei, Allen; Cui, Yi

    2017-08-09

    Lithium (Li) metal is a high-capacity anode material (3860 mAh g -1 ) that can enable high-energy batteries for electric vehicles and grid-storage applications. However, Li metal is highly reactive and repeatedly consumed when exposed to liquid electrolyte (during battery operation) or the ambient environment (throughout battery manufacturing). Studying these corrosion reactions on the nanoscale is especially difficult due to the high chemical reactivity of both Li metal and its surface corrosion films. Here, we directly generate pure Li metal inside an environmental transmission electron microscope (TEM), revealing the nanoscale passivation and corrosion process of Li metal in oxygen (O 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), and water vapor (H 2 O). We find that while dry O 2 and N 2 (99.9999 vol %) form uniform passivation layers on Li, trace water vapor (∼1 mol %) disrupts this passivation and forms a porous film on Li metal that allows gas to penetrate and continuously react with Li. To exploit the self-passivating behavior of Li in dry conditions, we introduce a simple dry-N 2 pretreatment of Li metal to form a protective layer of Li nitride prior to battery assembly. The fast ionic conductivity and stable interface of Li nitride results in improved battery performance with dendrite-free cycling and low voltage hysteresis. Our work reveals the detailed process of Li metal passivation/corrosion and demonstrates how this mechanistic insight can guide engineering solutions for Li metal batteries.

  15. Treatment and minimization of heavy metal-containing wastes 1995

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hager, J.P.; Mishra, B.; Litz, J.L.

    1995-01-01

    This symposium was held in conjunction with the 1995 Annual Meeting of the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 12--16, 1995. The purpose of this meeting was to provide a forum for exchange of state-of-the-art information on treating and minimizing heavy metal-containing wastes. Papers were categorized under the following broad headings: aqueous processing; waste water treatment; thermal processing and stabilization; processing of fly ash, flue dusts, and slags; and processing of lead, mercury, and battery wastes. Individual papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the appropriate data bases

  16. Delayed-action battery with an improved depolarizer. Einen verbesserten Depolarisator enthaltende Batterie mit verzoegerter Wirkung

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koontz, R.F.; Klein, L.E.

    1978-11-27

    The invention refers to a delayed action battery, which has an anode made of magnesium, aluminium or zinc, and whose cathode consists of a conducting metal grid, and is coated with a depolarising material. The depolarising material consists of caprothio cyanate, carbon sulphur and a binder such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). This mixture is heated to a certain temperature, in order to melt the sulphur contained in it, before it is applied to the metal grid, in order to melt the sulphur contained in it, before it is applied to the metal grid, in order to form the cathode depolariser. The metal grid is also used as current terminal. The delayed action battery is activated by normal seawater or any other suitable aquaeous solution.

  17. Transport properties of metal-metal and metal-insulator heterostructures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fadlallah Elabd, Mohamed Mostafa

    2010-06-09

    In this study we present results of electronic structure and transport calculations for metallic and metal-insulator interfaces, based on density functional theory and the non-equilibrium Green's function method. Starting from the electronic structure of bulk Al, Cu, Ag, and Au interfaces, we study the effects of different kinds of interface roughness on the transmission coefficient (T(E)) and the I-V characteristic. In particular, we compare prototypical interface distortions, including vacancies, metallic impurities, non-metallic impurities, interlayer, and interface alloy. We find that vacancy sites have a huge effect on transmission coefficient. The transmission coefficient of non-metallic impurity systems has the same behaviour as the transmission coefficient of vacancy system, since these systems do not contribute to the electronic states at the Fermi energy. We have also studied the transport properties of Au-MgO-Au tunnel junctions. In particular, we have investigated the influence of the thickness of the MgO interlayer, the interface termination, the interface spacing, and O vacancies. Additional interface states appear in the O-terminated configuration due to the formation of Au-O bonds. An increasing interface spacing suppresses the Au-O bonding. Enhancement of T(E) depends on the position and density of the vacancies (the number of vacancies per unit cell). (orig.)

  18. Organic oxalate as leachant and precipitant for the recovery of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Liang; Qiu Keqiang

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► Vacuum pyrolysis as a pretreatment was used to separate cathode material from aluminum foils. ► Cobalt and lithium can be leached using oxalate while cobalt can be directly precipitated as cobalt oxalate. ► Cobalt and lithium can be separated efficiently from each other only in the oxalate leaching process. ► High reaction efficiency of LiCoO 2 was obtained with oxalate. - Abstract: Spent lithium-ion batteries containing lots of strategic resources such as cobalt and lithium are considered as an attractive secondary resource. In this work, an environmentally compatible process based on vacuum pyrolysis, oxalate leaching and precipitation is applied to recover cobalt and lithium from spent lithium-ion batteries. Oxalate is introduced as leaching reagent meanwhile as precipitant which leaches and precipitates cobalt from LiCoO 2 and CoO directly as CoC 2 O 4 ·2H 2 O with 1.0 M oxalate solution at 80 °C and solid/liquid ratio of 50 g L −1 for 120 min. The reaction efficiency of more than 98% of LiCoO 2 can be achieved and cobalt and lithium can also be separated efficiently during the hydrometallurgical process. The combined process is simple and adequate for the recovery of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries.

  19. Development of industrial utilization of metallic sodium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuhara, Shunichi

    1995-01-01

    Sodium exists in large quantity, being ranked to 6th in the existence proportion of elements, and takes 2.83% of the matters composing earth crust. Sodium is an alkali metal which is light weight, chemically very active and a strong reducing substance. It is excellent in the compatibility with iron and steel materials, and it possesses good heat conduction and flow characteristics and stable nuclear characteristics. Since the industrial production of sodium became practical, its utilization was developed as the reducing agent and catalyst in chemical industry, the core coolant and heat transport medium for nuclear reactors, the material composing the secondary batteries for storing electric power, and the auxiliaries for metal refining and so on. The industrial production of metallic sodium is carried out by the electrolysis of melted salt, namely Downs process. The production of metallic sodium in Japan is 3000-6000 t yearly, and its import is 300-350 t. Its main use is for organic chemical industry including dye production. The grades of metallic sodium products and their uses are shown. The utilization of sodium for large fast reactors, the utilization of NaK as the heat transport and cooling medium for space use nuclear reactors and deep sea fast reactor system, and the utilization of sodium as the catalyst in dye production, for silicon carbide fiber production and for agricultural and medical chemical production are reported. (K.I.)

  20. Alkali metals and group IIA metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fenton, D.E.

    1987-01-01

    This chapter on the coordination complexes of the alkali metals of group IIA starts with a historical perspective of their chemistry, from simple monodentate ligands, metal-β-diketonates to the macrocyclic polyethers which act as ligands to the alkali and akaline earth metals. Other macrocyclic ligands include quarterenes, calixarenes, porphyrins, phthalocyanines and chlorophylls. A section on the naturally occurring ionophores and carboxylic ionophores is included. (UK)

  1. Inorganic and Metallic Nanotubular Materials Recent Technologies and Applications

    CERN Document Server

    Kijima, Tsuyoshi

    2010-01-01

    This book describes the synthesis, characterization and applications of inorganic and metallic nanotubular materials. It cover a wide variety of nanotubular materials excluding carbon nanotubes, ranging from metal oxides, sulfides and nitrides such as titanium oxide, tungsten sulfide, and boron nitride, as well as platinum and other noble-metals to unique nanotubes consisting of water, graphene or fullerene. Based on their structural and compositional characteristics, these nanotubular materials are of importance for their potential applications in electronic devices, photocatalysts, dye-sensitized solar cells, nanothermometers, electrodes for fuel cells and batteries, sensors, and reinforcing fillers for plastics, among others. Such materials are also having a great impact on future developments, including renewable-energy sources as well as highly efficient energy-conversion and energy-saving technologies. This book will be of particular interest to experts in the fields of nanotechnology, material science ...

  2. Simultaneous Formation of Artificial SEI Film and 3D Host for Stable Metallic Sodium Anodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Di; Li, Bin; Wang, Shuai; Yang, Shubin

    2017-11-22

    Metallic sodium is a promising anode for sodium-based batteries, owing to its high theoretical capacity (1165 mAh g -1 ) and low potential (-2.714 V vs standard hydrogen electrode). However, the growth of sodium dendrites and the infinite volume change of metallic sodium during sodium striping/plating result in a low Coulombic efficiency and poor cycling stability, generating a safety hazard of sodium-based batteries. Here, an efficient approach was proposed to simultaneously generate an artificial SEI film and 3D host for metallic sodium based on a conversion reaction (CR) between sodium and MoS 2 (4Na + MoS 2 = 2Na 2 S + Mo) at room temperature. In the resultant sodium-MoS 2 hybrid after the conversion reaction (Na-MoS 2 (CR)), the production Na 2 S is homogeneously dispersed on the surface of metallic sodium, which can act as an artificial SEI film, efficiently preventing the growth of sodium dendrites; the residual MoS 2 nanosheets can construct a 3D host to confine metallic sodium, accommodating largely the volume change of sodium. Consequently, the Na-MoS 2 (CR) hybrid exhibits very low overpotential of 25 mV and a very long cycle stability more than 1000 cycles. This novel strategy is promising to promote the development of metal (lithium, sodium, zinc)-based electrodes.

  3. A general salt-templating method to fabricate vertically aligned graphitic carbon nanosheets and their metal carbide hybrids for superior lithium ion batteries and water splitting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Jixin; Sakaushi, Ken; Clavel, Guylhaine; Shalom, Menny; Antonietti, Markus; Fellinger, Tim-Patrick

    2015-04-29

    The synthesis of vertically aligned functional graphitic carbon nanosheets (CNS) is challenging. Herein, we demonstrate a general approach for the fabrication of vertically aligned CNS and metal carbide@CNS composites via a facile salt templating induced self-assembly. The resulting vertically aligned CNS and metal carbide@CNS structures possess ultrathin walls, good electrical conductivity, strong adhesion, excellent structural robustness, and small particle size. In electrochemical energy conversion and storage such unique features are favorable for providing efficient mass transport as well as a large and accessible electroactive surface. The materials were tested as electrodes in a lithium ion battery and in electrochemical water splitting. The vertically aligned nanosheets exhibit remarkable lithium ion storage properties and, concurrently, excellent properties as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution.

  4. Performance of metallic fuels in liquid-metal fast reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seidel, B.R.; Walters, L.C.; Kittel, J.H.

    1984-01-01

    Interest in metallic fuels for liquid-metal fast reactors has come full circle. Metallic fuels are once again a viable alternative for fast reactors because reactor outlet temperature of interest to industry are well within the range where metallic fuels have demonstrated high burnup and reliable performance. In addition, metallic fuel is very tolerant of off-normal events of its high thermal conductivity and fuel behavior. Futhermore, metallic fuels lend themselves to compact and simplified reprocessing and refabrication technologies, a key feature in a new concept for deployment of fast reactors called the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). The IFR concept is a metallic-fueled pool reactor(s) coupled to an integral-remote reprocessing and fabrication facility. The purpose of this paper is to review recent metallic fuel performance, much of which was tested and proven during the twenty years of EBR-II operation

  5. Halide based MBE of crystalline metals and oxides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Greenlee, Jordan D.; Calley, W. Laws; Henderson, Walter; Doolittle, W. Alan [Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Atlanta, Georgia (United States)

    2012-02-15

    A halide based growth chemistry has been demonstrated which can deliver a range of transition metals using low to moderate effusion cell temperatures (30-700 C) even for high melting point metals. Previously, growth with transition metal species required difficult to control electron beam or impurity inducing metal organic sources. Both crystalline oxide and metal films exhibiting excellent crystal quality are grown using this halide-based growth chemistry. Films are grown using a plasma assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) system with metal-chloride precursors. Crystalline niobium, cobalt, iron, and nickel were grown using this chemistry but the technology can be generalized to almost any metal for which a chloride precursor is available. Additionally, the oxides LiNbO{sub 3} and LiNbO{sub 2} were grown with films exhibiting X-ray diffraction (XRD) rocking curve full-widths at half maximum of 150 and 190 arcseconds respectively. LiNbO{sub 2} films demonstrate a memristive response due to the rapid movement of lithium in the layered crystal structure. The rapid movement of lithium ions in LiNbO{sub 2} memristors is characterized using impedance spectroscopy measurements. The impedance spectroscopy measurements suggest an ionic current of.1 mA for a small drive voltage of 5 mV AC or equivalently an ionic current density of {proportional_to}87 A/cm{sup 2}. This high ionic current density coupled with low charge transfer resistance of {proportional_to}16.5 {omega} and a high relaxation frequency (6.6 MHz) makes this single crystal material appealing for battery applications in addition to memristors. (copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  6. Laboratory Study on Possibility of Using Eichhornia To Decrease The Concentrations of Some Heavy Metals in Industrial Wastewater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alia, T.; Juniedi, H.; Salama, L.

    2009-01-01

    In this study Eichhornia crassipes was used under varying conditions of heavy metals concentrations, due to typical study for wastewater concentrations from the batteries factories, to decrease them. Moreover, the concentrations in different media of the plants have been distributed depending on the Response Surface design for three factors 100- 300 mg Pb/l, 15-50 mg Cd/l, 5-10 mg Mn/l which are the concentrations of heavy metals in the wastewater of batteries factories. The experiment has continued for fourteen days in which a study has been made for the current changes over the plants endurance for the different concentrations by continuing the morphologic changes which have appeared through this period. The heavy metals concentrations of the media were measured during two days. At the end of the experiment, analyses for metals were also carried out on the plant samples to determine the effect of different media on metal accumulation by roots and aerial parts of the plants. The results showed that the plant can absorb heavy metals from the industrial wastewater which is polluted by them, but at certain concentrations. It is unable to survive in a mixture of high heavy metals concentrations of these three factors together (Pb, Cd, Mn). (author)

  7. Studies of Metal-Metal Bonded Compounds in Catalysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berry, John F. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

    2018-01-19

    The overall goals of this research are (1) to define the fundamental coordination chemistry underlying successful catalytic transformations promoted by metal-metal bonded compounds, and (2) to explore new chemical transformations that occur at metal-metal bonded sites that could lead to the discovery of new catalytic processes. Transformations of interest include metal-promoted reactions of carbene, nitrene, or nitrido species to yield products with new C–C and C–N bonds, respectively. The most promising suite of transition metal catalysts for these transformations is the set of metal-metal bonded coordination compounds of Ru and Rh of the general formula M2(ligand)4, where M = Ru or Rh and ligand = a monoanionic, bridging ligand such as acetate. Development of new catalysts and improvement of catalytic conditions have been stymied by a general lack of knowledge about the nature of highly reactive intermediates in these reactions, the knowledge that is to be supplied by this work. Our three specific objectives for this year have been (A) to trap, isolate, and characterize new reactive intermediates of general relevance to catalysis, (B) to explore the electronic structure and reactivity of these unusual species, and how these two properties are interrelated, and (C) to use our obtained mechanistic knowledge to design new catalysts with a focus on Earth-abundant first-row transition metal compounds.

  8. Electrochemical behavior of lithium imide/cyclic ether electrolytes for 4 V lithium metal rechargeable batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, X.; Yasukawa, Eiki; Mori, Shoichiro

    1999-11-01

    To develop organic electrolytes for 4 V lithium metal rechargeable batteries, LiN(SO{sub 2}CF{sub 3}){sub 2} electrolytes with five-, six-, and seven-membered cyclic ether solvents were characterized. Among these examined electrolytes, LiN(SO{sub 2}CF{sub 3}){sub 2}/tetrahydropyran (THP) electrolyte was found to possess the most advantages, such as high cycling efficiency, good oxidation stability, and high boiling point. Furthermore, lithium cycling efficiency and conductivity were improved by mixing 50% ethylene carbonate (EC) in 1 mol/dm{sup 3} LiN(SO{sub 2}CF{sub 3}){sub 2}/THP electrolyte. By using LiN(SO{sub 2}C{sub 2}F{sub 5}){sub 2} solute as an alternative to LiN(SO{sub 2}CF{sub 3}){sub 2} in EC + THP (1:1) electrolyte, corrosion of the aluminum current collector was inhibited and therefore, excellent cycling performance of a Li/LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} coin cell was realized. It was also found that lithium cycling efficiency increased with decreasing deposition current density or increasing dissolution current density. Especially at deposition/dissolution current densities of 0.2/0.6 mA/cm{sup 2}, the observed lithium cycling efficiency in 1 mol/dm{sup 3} LiN(SO{sub 2}C{sub 2}F{sub 5}){sub 2}/EC + THP (1:1) electrolyte was above 99%. Thermal tests further disclosed that this mixed electrolyte has good thermal stability even in the presence of lithium metal or cathode materials.

  9. Quantitative probe of the transition metal redox in battery electrodes through soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qinghao; Qiao, Ruimin; Wray, L. Andrew; Chen, Jun; Zhuo, Zengqing; Chen, Yanxue; Yan, Shishen; Pan, Feng; Hussain, Zahid; Yang, Wanli

    2016-10-01

    Most battery positive electrodes operate with a 3d transition-metal (TM) reaction centre. A direct and quantitative probe of the TM states upon electrochemical cycling is valuable for understanding the detailed cycling mechanism and charge diffusion in the electrodes, which is related with many practical parameters of a battery. This review includes a comprehensive summary of our recent demonstrations of five different types of quantitative analysis of the TM states in battery electrodes based on soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy and multiplet calculations. In LiFePO4, a system of a well-known two-phase transformation type, the TM redox could be strictly determined through a simple linear combination of the two end-members. In Mn-based compounds, the Mn states could also be quantitatively evaluated, but a set of reference spectra with all the three possible Mn valences needs to be deliberately selected and considered in the fitting. Although the fluorescence signals suffer the self-absorption distortion, the multiplet calculations could consider the distortion effect, which allows a quantitative determination of the overall Ni oxidation state in the bulk. With the aid of multiplet calculations, one could also achieve a quasi-quantitative analysis of the Co redox evolution in LiCoO2 based on the energy position of the spectroscopic peak. The benefit of multiplet calculations is more important for studying electrode materials with TMs of mixed spin states, as exemplified by the quantitative analysis of the mixed spin Na2-x Fe2(CN)6 system. At the end, we showcase that such quantitative analysis could provide valuable information for optimizing the electrochemical performance of Na0.44MnO2 electrodes for Na-ion batteries. The methodology summarized in this review could be extended to other energy application systems with TM redox centre for detailed analysis, for example, fuel cell and catalytic materials.

  10. Heavy metal speciation and their accumulation in sediments of Lake ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    UFUOMA

    Key words: Heavy metals, chemical speciation, sediments, Burullus, Lake. INTRODUCTION ..... fuel for use in internal combustion engines and in making batteries. ..... (Tuner, 1989). According to this model, human risk assessment was .... 593 - 594. Hökanson L (1980). "Ecological Risk Index for Aquatic Pollution. Control.

  11. New metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergqvist, U.

    1983-12-01

    The aim of this report is to estimate the exposure to various metals and metal compounds and discuss the available information of the possible toxic effects of these metals and compounds. In the first section, some metals are defined as those with either a large or a fast increasing exposure to living organisms. The available information on toxicity is discussed in the second section. In the third section interesting metals are defined as compounds having a large exposure and an apparent insufficient knowledge of their possible toxic effects. Comments on each of these metals are also to be found in the third section. (G.B.)

  12. Planarians in toxicology. Responses of asexual Dugesia dorotocephala to selected metals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kapu, M.M.; Schaeffer, D.J. (Univ. of Illinois, Urbana (United States))

    1991-08-01

    The planarian Dugesia dorotocephala is a freshwater invertebrate found in unpolluted flowing surface waters. Planarians have a sensitive nervous system with synapses and true brain and evidence these in a variety of social and response behaviors. The inclusion of planarians in a screening battery would provide improved sensitivity in detecting toxicity because planarians commonly respond to lower levels of contamination than do other species. Numerous toxicity test have been conducted to determine the acute and chronic effects of toxicants to provide data necessary for the development of water quality criteria. The appropriateness of Illinois water quality standards for metals was investigated using a 1-hr behavioral test based on the responses of the planarian D. dorotocephala. One possible difficulty with water quality standards for metals is that the standard for each metal is usually established without regard to the effects of other metals present in the receiving water.

  13. Complex Metal Hydrides for hydrogen storage and solid-state ion conductors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Payandeh GharibDoust, SeyedHosein

    and electricity in batteries. However, both hydrogen and electricity must be stored in a very dense way to be useful, e.g. for mobile applications. Complex metal hydrides have high hydrogen density and have been studied during the past twenty years in hydrogen storage systems. Moreover, they have shown high ionic...... conductivities which promote their application as solid electrolytes in batteries. This dissertation presents the synthesis and characterization of a variety of complex metal hydrides and explores their hydrogen storage properties and ionic conductivity. Five halide free rare earth borohydrides RE(BH4)3, (RE...... = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Er) have been synthesized, which pave the way for studying the polymorphic transition in these compounds, obtaining new bimetallic borohydrides and designing new reactive hydride composites with improved hydrogen storage capacities. Two novel polymorphs of Pr(BH4)3 are identified...

  14. Globally sustainable manganese metal production and use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagelstein, Karen

    2009-09-01

    The "cradle to grave" concept of managing chemicals and wastes has been a descriptive analogy of proper environmental stewardship since the 1970s. The concept incorporates environmentally sustainable product choices-such as metal alloys utilized steel products which civilization is dependent upon. Manganese consumption is related to the increasing production of raw steel and upgrading ferroalloys. Nonferrous applications of manganese include production of dry-cell batteries, plant fertilizer components, animal feed and colorant for bricks. The manganese ore (high grade 35% manganese) production world wide is about 6 million ton/year and electrolytic manganese metal demand is about 0.7 million ton/year. The total manganese demand is consumed globally by industries including construction (23%), machinery (14%), and transportation (11%). Manganese is recycled within scrap of iron and steel, a small amount is recycled within aluminum used beverage cans. Recycling rate is 37% and efficiency is estimated as 53% [Roskill Metals and Minerals Reports, January 13, 2005. Manganese Report: rapid rise in output caused by Chinese crude steel production. Available from: http://www.roskill.com/reports/manganese.]. Environmentally sustainable management choices include identifying raw material chemistry, utilizing clean production processes, minimizing waste generation, recycling materials, controlling occupational exposures, and collecting representative environmental data. This paper will discuss two electrolytically produced manganese metals, the metal production differences, and environmental impacts cited to date. The two electrolytic manganese processes differ due to the addition of sulfur dioxide or selenium dioxide. Adverse environmental impacts due to use of selenium dioxide methodology include increased water consumption and order of magnitude greater solid waste generation per ton of metal processed. The use of high grade manganese ores in the electrolytic process also

  15. Hydrogen storage alloy electrode for a metal-hydride alkaline battery; Kinzoku-suisokabutsu arukari chikudenchiyo no suiso kyuzo gokin denkyoku

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsuura, Y.; Kuroda, Y.; Higashiyama, N.; Kimoto, M.; Nogami, M.; Nishio, K.; Saito, T.

    1996-07-16

    This invention aims to present a hydrogen storage alloy electrode which gives a metal-hydride alkaline battery with a high discharge characteristics at an initial stage of the charge and discharge cycle and excellent charge and discharge cycle characteristics. Thin belt-like misch metal(Mm)-nickel hydrogen storage alloy lumps with a CaCu5 type crystal structure and with dissolved boron or carbon as replaced atoms of nickel in a supersaturated state are obtained by quenching and solidification of molten Mm-Ni hydrogen storage alloy with addition of boron or carbon in 0.005 to 0.150 molar ratio to 1 mole of Mm by a single or dual role method, and annealed in an inert gas or in vacuum at a temperature of 620 to 1000{degree}C for a prescribed time to separate out a boron compound as a second phase, followed by pulverization to produce the alloy powder which is used as a hydrogen storage alloy material. The presence of the second phase promotes cracking of the alloy at an early stage of the charge and discharge cycle and suppresses generation of fine powder in the following charge and discharge cycles. 2 figs., 5 tabs.

  16. Breast milk metal ion levels in a young and active patient with a metal-on-metal hip prosthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelis, Raymond; de Waal Malefijt, Jan; Gosens, Taco

    2013-01-01

    Metal-on-metal resurfacing arthroplasty of the hip has been used increasingly over the last 10 years in younger active patients. The dissolution of the metal wear particles results in measurable increases in cobalt and chromium ions in the serum and urine of patients with a metal-on-metal bearing. We measured the cobalt, chromium, and molybdenum ion levels in urine; serum; and breast milk in a young and active patient with a metal-on-metal hip prosthesis after a pathologic fracture of the femoral neck. Metal-on-metal hip prosthesis leads to increasing levels of molybdenum in breast milk in the short-term follow-up. There are no increasing levels of chromium and cobalt ions in breast milk. Besides the already known elevated concentrations in serum of chromium and cobalt after implantation of a metal-on-metal hip prosthesis, we found no increasing levels of chromium and cobalt in urine. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Nanostructured metal sulfides for energy storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rui, Xianhong; Tan, Huiteng; Yan, Qingyu

    2014-08-01

    Advanced electrodes with a high energy density at high power are urgently needed for high-performance energy storage devices, including lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and supercapacitors (SCs), to fulfil the requirements of future electrochemical power sources for applications such as in hybrid electric/plug-in-hybrid (HEV/PHEV) vehicles. Metal sulfides with unique physical and chemical properties, as well as high specific capacity/capacitance, which are typically multiple times higher than that of the carbon/graphite-based materials, are currently studied as promising electrode materials. However, the implementation of these sulfide electrodes in practical applications is hindered by their inferior rate performance and cycling stability. Nanostructures offering the advantages of high surface-to-volume ratios, favourable transport properties, and high freedom for the volume change upon ion insertion/extraction and other reactions, present an opportunity to build next-generation LIBs and SCs. Thus, the development of novel concepts in material research to achieve new nanostructures paves the way for improved electrochemical performance. Herein, we summarize recent advances in nanostructured metal sulfides, such as iron sulfides, copper sulfides, cobalt sulfides, nickel sulfides, manganese sulfides, molybdenum sulfides, tin sulfides, with zero-, one-, two-, and three-dimensional morphologies for LIB and SC applications. In addition, the recently emerged concept of incorporating conductive matrices, especially graphene, with metal sulfide nanomaterials will also be highlighted. Finally, some remarks are made on the challenges and perspectives for the future development of metal sulfide-based LIB and SC devices.

  18. Understanding how cells allocate metals using metal sensors and metallochaperones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tottey, Stephen; Harvie, Duncan R; Robinson, Nigel J

    2005-10-01

    Each metalloprotein must somehow acquire the correct metal. We review the insights into metal specificity in cells provided by studies of ArsR-SmtB DNA binding, metal-responsive transcriptional repressors, and a bacterial copper chaperone. Cyanobacteria are the one bacterial group that have known enzymatic demand for cytoplasmic copper import. The copper chaperone and ATPases that supply cyanobacterial plastocyanin and cytochrome oxidase are reviewed, along with related ATPases for cobalt and zinc. These studies highlight the contributions of protein-protein interactions to metal speciation. Metal sensors and metallochaperones, along with metal transporters and metal-storage proteins, act in concert not only to supply the correct metals but also to withhold the wrong ones.

  19. Hydrometallurgical method for recycling rare earth metals, cobalt, nickel, iron, and manganese from negative electrodes of spent Ni-MH mobile phone batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, Vinicius Emmanuel de Oliveira dos; Lelis, Maria de Fatima Fontes; Freitas, Marcos Benedito Jose Geraldo de

    2014-01-01

    A hydrometallurgical method for the recovery of rare earth metals, cobalt, nickel, iron, and manganese from the negative electrodes of spent Ni-MH mobile phone batteries was developed. The rare earth compounds were obtained by chemical precipitation at pH 1.5, with sodium cerium sulfate (NaCe(SO 4 ) 2 .H 2 O) and lanthanum sulfate (La 2 (SO 4 ) 3 .H 2 O) as the major recovered components. Iron was recovered as Fe(OH) 3 and FeO. Manganese was obtained as Mn 3 O 4 .The recovered Ni(OH) 2 and Co(OH) 2 were subsequently used to synthesize LiCoO 2 , LiNiO 2 and CoO, for use as cathodes in ion-Li batteries. The anodes and recycled materials were characterized by analytical techniques. (author)

  20. Speciation in Metal Toxicity and Metal-Based Therapeutics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Douglas M. Templeton

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Metallic elements, ions and compounds produce varying degrees of toxicity in organisms with which they come into contact. Metal speciation is critical to understanding these adverse effects; the adjectives “heavy” and “toxic” are not helpful in describing the biological properties of individual elements, but detailed chemical structures are. As a broad generalization, the metallic form of an element is inert, and the ionic salts are the species that show more significant bioavailability. Yet the salts and other chelates of a metal ion can give rise to quite different toxicities, as exemplified by a range of carcinogenic potential for various nickel species. Another important distinction comes when a metallic element is organified, increasing its lipophilicity and hence its ability to penetrate the blood brain barrier, as is seen, for example, with organic mercury and tin species. Some metallic elements, such as gold and platinum, are themselves useful therapeutic agents in some forms, while other species of the same element can be toxic, thus focusing attention on species interconversions in evaluating metal-based drugs. The therapeutic use of metal-chelating agents introduces new species of the target metal in vivo, and this can affect not only its desired detoxification, but also introduce a potential for further mechanisms of toxicity. Examples of therapeutic iron chelator species are discussed in this context, as well as the more recent aspects of development of chelation therapy for uranium exposure.

  1. Positive electrode for a lithium battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sang-Ho; Amine, Khalil

    2015-04-07

    A method for producing a lithium alkali transition metal oxide for use as a positive electrode material for lithium secondary batteries by a precipitation method. The positive electrode material is a lithium alkali transition metal composite oxide and is prepared by mixing a solid state mixed with alkali and transition metal carbonate and a lithium source. The mixture is thermally treated to obtain a small amount of alkali metal residual in the lithium transition metal composite oxide cathode material.

  2. Energy and environmental impacts of electric vehicle battery production and recycling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaines, L.; Singh, M.

    1995-01-01

    Electric vehicle batteries use energy and generate environmental residuals when they are produced and recycled. This study estimates, for 4 selected battery types (advanced lead-acid, sodium-sulfur, nickel-cadmium, and nickel-metal hydride), the impacts of production and recycling of the materials used in electric vehicle batteries. These impacts are compared, with special attention to the locations of the emissions. It is found that the choice among batteries for electric vehicles involves tradeoffs among impacts. For example, although the nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride batteries are similar, energy requirements for production of the cadmium electrodes may be higher than those for the metal hydride electrodes, but the latter may be more difficult to recycle

  3. Present understanding of the stability of Li-stuffed garnets with moisture, carbon dioxide, and metallic lithium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofstetter, Kyle; Samson, Alfred Junio; Narayanan, Sumaletha; Thangadurai, Venkataraman

    2018-06-01

    Fast lithium-ion conducting garnet-type metal oxides are promising membranes for next-generation all-solid-state Li batteries and beyond Li-ion batteries, including Li-air and Li-S batteries, due to their high total Li-ion conductivity and excellent chemical stability against reaction with elemental Li. Several studies have been reported on structure-chemical composition-ionic conductivity property in Li-stuffed garnet-type metal oxides. Here, an overview of the chemical and electrochemical stability of lithium-based garnets against moisture/humidity, aqueous solutions, carbon dioxide, sulfur, and metallic lithium are analyzed. Moisture and aqueous stability studies focus on understanding the crystal structure stability, the proton exchange capacity as a function of Li content in Li-stuffed garnets, and how the protonated species affect the crystal structure and mass transport properties. H+/Li+ exchange was found to be in the range of 2-100%. Stability concerning Li-ion conductivity and morphology under carbon dioxide are discussed. Interfacial chemical stability with lithium metal characterized by electrochemical stability window, Li dendrite formation and area specific resistance (ASR) for the reaction Li ⇌ Li+ +e- are presented. Recent attempts to suppress dendrite formation and to reduce ASR via surface modification are also highlighted. Li and Li-stuffed garnet interface ASR values are shown to be as high as >2000 Ω cm2 and as low as 1 Ω cm2 at room temperature for surface modified Li-stuffed samples. Furthermore, recent studies on Li-S battery utilizing chemically stable Li - garnet electrolyte are also discussed.

  4. Nanotoxicity: the toxicity research progress of metal and metal-containing nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Lingling; Liu, Zhidong; Aggrey, Mike Okweesi; Li, Chunhua; Chen, Jing; Tong, Ling

    2015-01-01

    Along with the exuberant development of nanotechnology, a large number of nanoformulations or non materials are successfully applied in the clinics, biomedicine, cosmetics and industry. Despite some unique advantages of nanoformulations, there exist potentially worrying toxic effects, particularly those related to metal and metal-containing nanoparticles (NPs). Although various researches have been conducted to assess the metallic and metal-containing nanoparticles toxic effects, only little is known about the toxicity expressive types and evaluation, reasons and mechanisms, influencing factors and research methods of metal and metal-containing nanotoxicity. Therefore, it is of importance to acquire a better understanding of metal and metal-containing nanoparticles toxicity for medical application. This review presents a summary on the metal and metal-containing nanoparticles toxicity research progress consulting relevant literature.

  5. Heavy metals

    OpenAIRE

    Adriano, Domy; VANGRONSVELD, Jaco; Bolan, N.S.; Wenzel, W.W.

    2005-01-01

    - Sources of Metals in the Environment - Environmental Contamination - Retention and Dynamics of Metals in Soils - Adsorption - Complexation - Precipitation - Bioavailability–Natural Attenuation Interactions - Biological Response to Metals - Soil Remediation

  6. Metal transformation as a strategy for bacterial detoxification of heavy metals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Essa, Ashraf M M; Al Abboud, Mohamed A; Khatib, Sayeed I

    2018-01-01

    Microorganisms can modify the chemical and physical characters of metals leading to an alteration in their speciation, mobility, and toxicity. Aqueous heavy metals solutions (Hg, Cd, Pb, Ag, Cu, and Zn) were treated with the volatile metabolic products (VMPs) of Escherichia coli Z3 for 24 h using aerobic bioreactor. The effect of the metals treated with VMPs in comparison to the untreated metals on the growth of E. coli S1 and Staphylococcus aureus S2 (local isolates) was examined. Moreover, the toxic properties of the treated and untreated metals were monitored using minimum inhibitory concentration assay. A marked reduction of the treated metals toxicity was recorded in comparison to the untreated metals. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed the formation of metal particles in the treated metal solutions. In addition to heavy metals at variable ratios, these particles consisted of carbon, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen elements. The inhibition of metal toxicity was attributed to the existence of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide in the VMPs of E. coli Z3 culture that might responsible for the transformation of soluble metal ions into metal complexes. This study clarified the capability of E. coli Z3 for indirect detoxification of heavy metals via the immobilization of metal ions into biologically unavailable species. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Cathode material for lithium batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sang-Ho; Amine, Khalil

    2013-07-23

    A method of manufacture an article of a cathode (positive electrode) material for lithium batteries. The cathode material is a lithium molybdenum composite transition metal oxide material and is prepared by mixing in a solid state an intermediate molybdenum composite transition metal oxide and a lithium source. The mixture is thermally treated to obtain the lithium molybdenum composite transition metal oxide cathode material.

  8. Bacterial metal resistance genes and metal bioavailability in contaminated sediments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roosa, Stéphanie; Wattiez, Ruddy; Prygiel, Emilie; Lesven, Ludovic; Billon, Gabriel; Gillan, David C.

    2014-01-01

    In bacteria a metal may be defined as bioavailable if it crosses the cytoplasmic membrane to reach the cytoplasm. Once inside the cell, specific metal resistance systems may be triggered. In this research, specific metal resistance genes were used to estimate metal bioavailability in sediment microbial communities. Gene levels were measured by quantitative PCR and correlated to metals in sediments using five different protocols to estimate dissolved, particle-adsorbed and occluded metals. The best correlations were obtained with czcA (a Cd/Zn/Co efflux pump) and Cd/Zn adsorbed or occluded in particles. Only adsorbed Co was correlated to czcA levels. We concluded that the measurement of czcA gene levels by quantitative PCR is a promising tool which may complement the classical approaches used to estimate Cd/Zn/Co bioavailability in sediment compartments. - Highlights: • Metal resistance genes were used to estimate metal bioavailability in sediments. • Gene levels were correlated to metals using 5 different metal extraction protocols. • CzcA gene levels determined by quantitative PCR is a promising tool for Cd/Zn/Co. - Capsule Bacterial czcA is a potential biomarker of Cd, Zn and Co bioavailability in aquatic sediments as shown by quantitative PCR and sequential metal extraction

  9. Hydrogen storage alloy electrode for metal-hydride alkaline storage battery its production method; Kinzoku-suisokabutsu aruakri chikudenchiyo no suiso kyuzo gokin denkyoku oyobi sono seizo hoho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsuura, Y.; Nogami, K.; Kimoto, M.; Higashiyama, N.; Kuroda, Y.; Yonezu, I.; Nishio, K.

    1997-03-28

    Recently, it is proposed to employ the hydrogen storage alloy produced by means of rapidly solidifying single roll method, i.e., a method of projecting the molten alloy onto the surface of roll rotating in high speed as for the negative electrode material of the metal hydride alkaline battery. However, the hydrogen storage alloy produced by the single roll method has a heterogeneous grain size. So that the utilization of the hydrogen storage alloy is limited. This invention solves the problem. The rare earth-nickel system hydrogen storage alloy ribbon with average thickness of 0.08 - 0.35 mm is produced by means of single roll method. The grain size of the alloy is over 0.2 micrometer on roll surface side and below 20 micrometers on open surface side. The above said alloy is ground to average particle size of 25 - 70 micrometers to be used for the hydrogen absorbent. In this way, the metal hydride alkaline battery with excellent high rate discharge characteristic at the initial stage of charge-discharge cycle, excellent charge-discharge cycle characteristic, and excellent inner pressure characteristic can be produced. 2 figs., 5 tabs.

  10. Metal-in-metal localized surface plasmon resonance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, G B; Earp, A A, E-mail: g.smith@uts.edu.au [Department of Physics and Advanced Materials and Institute of Nanoscale Technology, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway NSW 2007 (Australia)

    2010-01-08

    Anomalous strong resonances in silver and gold nanoporous thin films which conduct are found to arise from isolated metal nano-islands separated from the surrounding percolating metal network by a thin loop of insulator. This observed resonant optical response is modelled. The observed peak position is in agreement with the observed average dimensions of the silver core and insulator shell. As the insulating ring thickness shrinks, the resonance moves to longer wavelengths and strengthens. This structure is the Babinet's principle counterpart of dielectric core-metal shell nanoparticles embedded in dielectric. Like for the latter, tuning of resonant absorption is possible, but here the matrix reflects rather than transmits, and tuning to longer wavelengths is more practical. A new class of metal mirror occurring as a single thin layer is identified using the same resonances in dense metal mirrors. Narrow band deep localized dips in reflectance result.

  11. Metal-in-metal localized surface plasmon resonance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, G. B.; Earp, A. A.

    2010-01-01

    Anomalous strong resonances in silver and gold nanoporous thin films which conduct are found to arise from isolated metal nano-islands separated from the surrounding percolating metal network by a thin loop of insulator. This observed resonant optical response is modelled. The observed peak position is in agreement with the observed average dimensions of the silver core and insulator shell. As the insulating ring thickness shrinks, the resonance moves to longer wavelengths and strengthens. This structure is the Babinet's principle counterpart of dielectric core-metal shell nanoparticles embedded in dielectric. Like for the latter, tuning of resonant absorption is possible, but here the matrix reflects rather than transmits, and tuning to longer wavelengths is more practical. A new class of metal mirror occurring as a single thin layer is identified using the same resonances in dense metal mirrors. Narrow band deep localized dips in reflectance result.

  12. A highly efficient surface plasmon polaritons excitation achieved with a metal-coupled metal-insulator-metal waveguide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hongyan Yang

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available We propose a novel metal-coupled metal-insulator-metal (MC-MIM waveguide which can achieve a highly efficient surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs excitation. The MC-MIM waveguide is formed by inserting a thin metal film in the insulator of an MIM. The introduction of the metal film, functioning as an SPPs coupler, provides a space for the interaction between SPPs and a confined electromagnetic field of the intermediate metal surface, which makes energy change and phase transfer in the metal-dielectric interface, due to the joint action of incomplete electrostatic shielding effect and SPPs coupling. Impacts of the metal film with different materials and various thickness on SPPs excitation are investigated. It is shown that the highest efficient SPPs excitation is obtained when the gold film thickness is 60 nm. The effect of refractive index of upper and lower symmetric dielectric layer on SPPs excitation is also discussed. The result shows that the decay value of refractive index is 0.3. Our results indicate that this proposed MC-MIM waveguide may offer great potential in designing a new SPPs source.

  13. Leachability of heavy metals from scrap dirt sampled at two scrap iron and metal recycling facilities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Dorthe Lærke; Holm, Peter Engelund; Christensen, Thomas Højlund

    2000-01-01

    Column and batch leaching experiments were performed to quantify leaching of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Cd and Zn) from scrap dirt representing different activities at two iron scrap and metal recycling facilities. The scrap dirt is often found directly upon the bare unprotected soil at recycling...... battery salvage locations was different, showing lower pH and signi®cant leaching of lead (up to 8000 mg Pb l±1), cadmium (up to 40 mg Cd l±1), and zinc (up to 2000 mg Zn l±1). The column and batch leaching experiments gave comparable results at the order of magnitude level, and both approaches are......, at that level, useful for evaluation of leaching potentials from scrap dirt. The experiments showed that scrap dirt at recycling facilities constitutes only a modest leaching problem, but a long-term soil pollution problem from a land-use perspective. Leaching experiments with compost solution indicated...

  14. Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets for Fast-Response and Highly Sensitive Luminescent Sensing of Fe3+

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Xu, Hui; Iversen, Bo Brummerstedt

    of graphene, Since the discovery of graphene, series of two-dimensional (2-D) nanosheets materials such as metal oxides, metal hydroxides, transition metal chalcogenides (TMDs), boron nitride (BN) and black phosphorus have been of great interests, and have been extensively investigated for applications...... in electronics, lithium-ion batteries, catalysis and mechanical properties, etc. 2-D MOF nanosheets materials, as a new member of the 2-D nanomaterials family, are still at the very early stage. However, to the best of our knowledge, the 2-D MOF nanosheets materials for luminescent sensing have been rarely...

  15. MetalS2: a tool for the structural alignment of minimal functional sites in metal-binding proteins and nucleic acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andreini, Claudia; Cavallaro, Gabriele; Rosato, Antonio; Valasatava, Yana

    2013-11-25

    We developed a new software tool, MetalS(2), for the structural alignment of Minimal Functional Sites (MFSs) in metal-binding biological macromolecules. MFSs are 3D templates that describe the local environment around the metal(s) independently of the larger context of the macromolecular structure. Such local environment has a determinant role in tuning the chemical reactivity of the metal, ultimately contributing to the functional properties of the whole system. On our example data sets, MetalS(2) unveiled structural similarities that other programs for protein structure comparison do not consistently point out and overall identified a larger number of structurally similar MFSs. MetalS(2) supports the comparison of MFSs harboring different metals and/or with different nuclearity and is available both as a stand-alone program and a Web tool ( http://metalweb.cerm.unifi.it/tools/metals2/).

  16. Metal-hydrogen systems with an exceptionally large and tunable thermodynamic destabilization

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ngene, Peter; Longo, Alessandro; Mooij, L.P.A.; Bras, Wim; Dam, B.

    2017-01-01

    Hydrogen is a key element in the energy transition. Hydrogen-metal systems have been studied for various energy-related applications, e.g., for their use in reversible hydrogen storage, catalysis, hydrogen sensing, and rechargeable batteries. These applications depend strongly on the

  17. Alkali metal-refractory metal biphase electrode for AMTEC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Roger M. (Inventor); Bankston, Clyde P. (Inventor); Cole, Terry (Inventor); Khanna, Satish K. (Inventor); Jeffries-Nakamura, Barbara (Inventor); Wheeler, Bob L. (Inventor)

    1989-01-01

    An electrode having increased output with slower degradation is formed of a film applied to a beta-alumina solid electrolyte (BASE). The film comprises a refractory first metal M.sup.1 such as a platinum group metal, suitably platinum or rhodium, capable of forming a liquid or a strong surface adsorption phase with sodium at the operating temperature of an alkali metal thermoelectric converter (AMTEC) and a second refractory metal insoluble in sodium or the NaM.sup.1 liquid phase such as a Group IVB, VB or VIB metal, suitably tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum or niobium. The liquid phase or surface film provides fast transport through the electrode while the insoluble refractory metal provides a structural matrix for the electrode during operation. A trilayer structure that is stable and not subject to deadhesion comprises a first, thin layer of tungsten, an intermediate co-deposited layer of tungsten-platinum and a thin surface layer of platinum.

  18. Fe-Substitution for Ni in Misch Metal-Based Superlattice Hydrogen Absorbing Alloys—Part 2. Ni/MH Battery Performance and Failure Mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiejun Meng

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The electrochemical performance and failure mechanisms of Ni/MH batteries made with a series of the Fe-substituted A2B7 superlattice alloys as the negative electrodes were investigated. The incorporation of Fe does not lead to improved cell capacity or cycle life at either room or low temperature, although Fe promotes the formation of a favorable Ce2Ni7 phase. Fe-substitution was found to inhibit leaching of Al from the metal hydride negative electrode and promote leaching of Co, which could potentially extend the cycle life of the positive electrode. The failure mechanisms of the cycled cells with the Fe-substituted superlattice hydrogen absorbing alloys were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma analysis. The failure of cells with Fe-free and low Fe-content alloys is mainly attributed to the pulverization of the metal hydride alloy. Meanwhile, severe oxidation/corrosion of the negative electrode is observed for cells with high Fe-content alloys, resulting in increased internal cell resistance, formation of micro-shortages in the separator and eventual cell failure.

  19. Plasma methods for metals recovery from metal-containing waste.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Changming, Du; Chao, Shang; Gong, Xiangjie; Ting, Wang; Xiange, Wei

    2018-04-27

    Metal-containing waste, a kind of new wastes, has a great potential for recycling and is also difficult to deal with. Many countries pay more and more attention to develop the metal recovery process and equipment of this kind of waste as raw material, so as to solve the environmental pollution and comprehensively utilize the discarded metal resources. Plasma processing is an efficient and environmentally friendly way for metal-containing waste. This review mainly discuss various metal-containing waste types, such as printed circuit boards (PCBs), red mud, galvanic sludge, Zircon, aluminium dross and incinerated ash, and the corresponding plasma methods, which include DC extended transferred arc plasma reactor, DC non-transferred arc plasma torch, RF thermal plasma reactor and argon and argon-hydrogen plasma jets. In addition, the plasma arc melting technology has a better purification effect on the extraction of useful metals from metal-containing wastes, a great capacity of volume reduction of waste materials, and a low leaching toxicity of solid slag, which can also be used to deal with all kinds of metal waste materials, having a wide range of applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Polyethylene oxide film coating enhances lithium cycling efficiency of an anode-free lithium-metal battery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assegie, Addisu Alemayehu; Cheng, Ju-Hsiang; Kuo, Li-Ming; Su, Wei-Nien; Hwang, Bing-Joe

    2018-03-29

    The practical implementation of an anode-free lithium-metal battery with promising high capacity is hampered by dendrite formation and low coulombic efficiency. Most notably, these challenges stem from non-uniform lithium plating and unstable SEI layer formation on the bare copper electrode. Herein, we revealed the homogeneous deposition of lithium and effective suppression of dendrite formation using a copper electrode coated with a polyethylene oxide (PEO) film in an electrolyte comprising 1 M LiTFSI, DME/DOL (1/1, v/v) and 2 wt% LiNO3. More importantly, the PEO film coating promoted the formation of a thin and robust SEI layer film by hosting lithium and regulating the inevitable reaction of lithium with the electrolyte. The modified electrode exhibited stable cycling of lithium with an average coulombic efficiency of ∼100% over 200 cycles and low voltage hysteresis (∼30 mV) at a current density of 0.5 mA cm-2. Moreover, we tested the anode-free battery experimentally by integrating it with an LiFePO4 cathode into a full-cell configuration (Cu@PEO/LiFePO4). The new cell demonstrated stable cycling with an average coulombic efficiency of 98.6% and capacity retention of 30% in the 200th cycle at a rate of 0.2C. These impressive enhancements in cycle life and capacity retention result from the synergy of the PEO film coating, high electrode-electrolyte interface compatibility, stable polar oligomer formation from the reduction of 1,3-dioxolane and the generation of SEI-stabilizing nitrite and nitride upon lithium nitrate reduction. Our result opens up a new route to realize anode-free batteries by modifying the copper anode with PEO to achieve ever more demanding yet safe interfacial chemistry and control of dendrite formation.

  1. Half-Metallic Ferromagnetism and Stability of Transition Metal Pnictides and Chalcogenides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bang-Gui

    It is highly desirable to explore robust half-metallic ferromagnetic materials compatible with important semiconductors for spintronic applications. A state-of-the-art full potential augmented plane wave method within the densityfunctional theory is reliable enough for this purpose. In this chapter we review theoretical research on half-metallic ferromagnetism and structural stability of transition metal pnictides and chalcogenides. We show that some zincblende transition metal pnictides are half-metallic and the half-metallic gap can be fairly wide, which is consistent with experiment. Systematic calculations reveal that zincblende phases of CrTe, CrSe, and VTe are excellent half-metallic ferromagnets. These three materials have wide half-metallic gaps, are low in total energy with respect to the corresponding ground-state phases, and, importantly, are structurally stable. Halfmetallic ferromagnetism is also found in wurtzite transition metal pnictides and chalcogenides and in transition-metal doped semiconductors as well as deformed structures. Some of these half-metallic materials could be grown epitaxially in the form of ultrathin .lms or layers suitable for real spintronic applications.

  2. Recycling of spent nickel-cadmium batteries based on bioleaching process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Nanwen; Zhang Lehua; Li Chunjie; Cai Chunguang

    2003-01-01

    Only 1-2 percent of discarded dry batteries are recovered in China. It is necessary to find an economic and environmentally friendly process to recycle dry batteries in this developing country. Bioleaching is one of the few techniques applicable for the recovery of the toxic metals from hazardous spent batteries. Its principle is the microbial production of sulphuric acid and simultaneous leaching of metals. In this study, a system consisting of a bioreactor, settling tank and leaching reactor was developed to leach metals from nickel-cadmium batteries. Indigenous thiobacilli, proliferated by using nutritive elements in sewage sludge and elemental sulphur as substrates, was employed in the bioreactor to produce sulphuric acid. The overflow from the bioreactor was conducted into the settling tank. The supernatant in the settling tank was conducted into the leaching reactor, which contained the anode and cathodic electrodes obtained from nickel-cadmium batteries. The results showed that this system was valid to leach metals from nickel-cadmium batteries, and that the sludge drained from the bottom of the settling tank could satisfy the requirements of environmental protection agencies regarding agricultural use

  3. Bio-processing of solid wastes and secondary resources for metal extraction - A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jae-Chun; Pandey, Banshi Dhar

    2012-01-01

    Metal containing wastes/byproducts of various industries, used consumer goods, and municipal waste are potential pollutants, if not treated properly. They may also be important secondary resources if processed in eco-friendly manner for secured supply of contained metals/materials. Bio-extraction of metals from such resources with microbes such as bacteria, fungi and archaea is being increasingly explored to meet the twin objectives of resource recycling and pollution mitigation. This review focuses on the bio-processing of solid wastes/byproducts of metallurgical and manufacturing industries, chemical/petrochemical plants, electroplating and tanning units, besides sewage sludge and fly ash of municipal incinerators, electronic wastes (e-wastes/PCBs), used batteries, etc. An assessment has been made to quantify the wastes generated and its compositions, microbes used, metal leaching efficiency etc. Processing of certain effluents and wastewaters comprising of metals is also included in brief. Future directions of research are highlighted. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Electrodes synthesized from carbon nanostructures coated with a smooth and conformal metal adlayer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adzic, Radoslav; Harris, Alexander

    2014-04-15

    High-surface-area carbon nanostructures coated with a smooth and conformal submonolayer-to-multilayer thin metal films and their method of manufacture are described. The preferred manufacturing process involves the initial oxidation of the carbon nanostructures followed by a surface preparation process involving immersion in a solution with the desired pH to create negative surface dipoles. The nanostructures are subsequently immersed in an alkaline solution containing a suitable quantity of non-noble metal ions which adsorb at surface reaction sites. The metal ions are then reduced via chemical or electrical means. The nanostructures are exposed to a solution containing a salt of one or more noble metals which replace adsorbed non-noble surface metal atoms by galvanic displacement. The process can be controlled and repeated to obtain a desired film coverage. The resulting coated nanostructures may be used, for example, as high-performance electrodes in supercapacitors, batteries, or other electric storage devices.

  5. Lithium and sodium batteries with polysulfide electrolyte

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Mengliu

    2017-12-28

    A battery comprising: at least one cathode, at least one anode, at least one battery separator, and at least one electrolyte disposed in the separator, wherein the anode is a lithium metal or lithium alloy anode or an anode adapted for intercalation of lithium ion, wherein the cathode comprises material adapted for reversible lithium extraction from and insertion into the cathode, and wherein the separator comprises at least one porous, electronically conductive layer and at least one insulating layer, and wherein the electrolyte comprises at least one polysulfide anion. The battery provides for high energy density and capacity. A redox species is introduced into the electrolyte which creates a hybrid battery. Sodium metal and sodium-ion batteries also provided.

  6. Recycling of Metals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Damgaard, Anders; Christensen, Thomas Højlund

    2011-01-01

    Metals like iron and aluminium are produced from mineral ore and used for a range of products, some of which have very short lifetimes and thus constitute a major fraction of municipal waste. Packaging in terms of cans, foils and containers are products with a short lifetime. Other products like...... appliances, vehicles and buildings, containing iron and aluminium metals, have long lifetimes before they end up in the waste stream. The recycling of production waste and postconsumer metals has a long history in the metal industry. Some metal smelters are today entirely based on scarp metals. This chapter...... describes briefly how iron and aluminium are produced and how scrap metal is recycled in the industry. Quality requirements and use of recycled products are discussed, as are the resource and environmental issues of metal recycling. Copper and other metals are also found in waste but in much smaller...

  7. Surface/structure functionalization of copper-based catalysts by metal-support and/or metal-metal interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konsolakis, Michalis; Ioakeimidis, Zisis

    2014-11-01

    Cu-based catalysts have recently attracted great attention both in catalysis and electro-catalysis fields due to their excellent catalytic performance and low cost. Given that their performance is determined, to a great extent, by Cu sites local environment, considerable efforts have been devoted on the strategic modifications of the electronic and structural properties of Cu sites. In this regard, the feasibility of tuning the local structure of Cu entities by means of metal-support or metal-metal interactions is investigated. More specifically, the physicochemical properties of Cu entities are modified by employing: (i) different oxides (CeO2, La2O3, Sm2O3), or (ii) ceria-based mixed oxides (Ce1-xSmxOδ) as supporting carriers, and (iii) a second metal (Cobalt) adjacent to Cu (bimetallic Cu-Co/CeO2). A characterization study, involving BET, XRD, TPR, and XPS, reveal that significant modifications on structural, redox and electronic properties of Cu sites can be induced by adopting either different oxide carriers or bimetallic complexes. Fundamental insights into the tuning of Cu local environment by metal-support or metal-metal interactions are provided, paving the way for real-life industrial applications.

  8. Magnetic susceptibility of 244Cm metal and 249Cf metal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujita, D.K.; Parsons, T.C.; Edelstein, N.; Noe, M.; Peterson, J.R.

    1975-07-01

    The first magnetic susceptibility measurements made on the expanded fcc phase of 249 Cf metal are reported. Further measurements are needed on other Cf metal phases. Another measurement of the magnetic susceptibility of 244 Cm metal in a limited temperature range has been reported. The result does not agree with previously reported values. Further work is continuing on the synthesis of 244 Cm metal and 248 Cm metal and magnetic measurements on these samples. (auth)

  9. Metal hydride electrode and nickel hydrogen storage battery; Suiso kyuzo gokin denkyoku oyobi nikkeru-suiso chikudenchi

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kobayashi, Y.; Tamagawa, H. [Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Ikawa, A.; Muranaka, R. [Hitachi Ltd., Ibaraki (Japan). Hitachi Research Lab.

    1996-04-16

    Water soluble polymers such as cellulose derivatives and polyvinylalcohol have been used conventionally as binders for metal hydride electrode used for nickel-hydrogen storage batteries. The shortcomings of those binders, however, are low flexibility, and poor binding property for hydrogen absorbing alloy powder and the conductive supporting substrate. This invention relates to the use of ethylene-vinyl copolymer with less than -10{degree}C Tg as the binder for hydrogen absorbing alloy powder. It is desirable that the ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer is selected out of ethylene-vinyl acetate-acryl copolymer and ethylene-vinyl acetate-long chain vinyl ester copolymer, and that the addition is larger than 0.1wt% and less than 1wt% against the weight of hydrogen absorbing alloy in the electrode. The use of this binder results in strong binding of hydrogen absorbing alloy powder to the conductive supporting substrate, providing flexibility as well. 4 figs., 5 tabs.

  10. Catalytic production of metal carbonyls from metal oxides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sapienza, Richard S.; Slegeir, William A.; Foran, Michael T.

    1984-01-01

    This invention relates to the formation of metal carbonyls from metal oxides and specially the formation of molybdenum carbonyl and iron carbonyl from their respective oxides. Copper is used here in admixed form or used in chemically combined form as copper molybdate. The copper/metal oxide combination or combined copper is utilized with a solvent, such as toluene and subjected to carbon monoxide pressure of 25 atmospheres or greater at about 150.degree.-260.degree. C. The reducing metal copper is employed in catalytic concentrations or combined concentrations as CuMoO.sub.4 and both hydrogen and water present serve as promoters. It has been found that the yields by this process have been salutary and that additionally the catalytic metal may be reused in the process to good effect.

  11. All-soft, battery-free, and wireless chemical sensing platform based on liquid metal for liquid- and gas-phase VOC detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Min-Gu; Alrowais, Hommood; Kim, Choongsoon; Yeon, Pyungwoo; Ghovanloo, Maysam; Brand, Oliver

    2017-06-27

    Lightweight, flexible, stretchable, and wireless sensing platforms have gained significant attention for personal healthcare and environmental monitoring applications. This paper introduces an all-soft (flexible and stretchable), battery-free, and wireless chemical microsystem using gallium-based liquid metal (eutectic gallium-indium alloy, EGaIn) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), fabricated using an advanced liquid metal thin-line patterning technique based on soft lithography. Considering its flexible, stretchable, and lightweight characteristics, the proposed sensing platform is well suited for wearable sensing applications either on the skin or on clothing. Using the microfluidic sensing platform, detection of liquid-phase and gas-phase volatile organic compounds (VOC) is demonstrated using the same design, which gives an opportunity to have the sensor operate under different working conditions and environments. In the case of liquid-phase chemical sensing, the wireless sensing performance and microfluidic capacitance tunability for different dielectric liquids are evaluated using analytical, numerical, and experimental approaches. In the case of gas-phase chemical sensing, PDMS is used both as a substrate and a sensing material. The gas sensing performance is evaluated and compared to a silicon-based, solid-state gas sensor with a PDMS sensing film.

  12. Process to separate alkali metal salts from alkali metal reacted hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gordon, John Howard; Alvare, Javier; Larsen, Dennis; Killpack, Jeff

    2017-06-27

    A process to facilitate gravimetric separation of alkali metal salts, such as alkali metal sulfides and polysulfides, from alkali metal reacted hydrocarbons. The disclosed process is part of a method of upgrading a hydrocarbon feedstock by removing heteroatoms and/or one or more heavy metals from the hydrocarbon feedstock composition. This method reacts the oil feedstock with an alkali metal and an upgradant hydrocarbon. The alkali metal reacts with a portion of the heteroatoms and/or one or more heavy metals to form an inorganic phase containing alkali metal salts and reduced heavy metals, and an upgraded hydrocarbon feedstock. The inorganic phase may be gravimetrically separated from the upgraded hydrocarbon feedstock after mixing at a temperature between about 350.degree. C. to 400.degree. C. for a time period between about 15 minutes and 2 hours.

  13. Immunoglobulin classes, metal binding proteins, and trace metals in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    , IgA and IgM), metal binding proteins (Transferrin, Caeruloplasmin, Alpha-2- Macroglobulin and Haptoglobin) and nutritionally essential trace metals/heavy metals (Zn, Fe, Se, Cu, Mg, Cd and Pb) in Nigerian cassava processors using single ...

  14. Fluoroethylene Carbonate-Based Electrolyte with 1 M Sodium Bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide Enables High-Performance Sodium Metal Electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yongwon; Lee, Jaegi; Lee, Jeongmin; Kim, Koeun; Cha, Aming; Kang, Sujin; Wi, Taeung; Kang, Seok Ju; Lee, Hyun-Wook; Choi, Nam-Soon

    2018-05-02

    Sodium (Na) metal anodes with stable electrochemical cycling have attracted widespread attention because of their highest specific capacity and lowest potential among anode materials for Na batteries. The main challenges associated with Na metal anodes are dendritic formation and the low density of deposited Na during electrochemical plating. Here, we demonstrate a fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC)-based electrolyte with 1 M sodium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (NaFSI) salt for the stable and dense deposition of the Na metal during electrochemical cycling. The novel electrolyte combination developed here circumvents the dendritic Na deposition that is one of the primary concerns for battery safety and constructs the uniform ionic interlayer achieving highly reversible Na plating/stripping reactions. The FEC-NaFSI constructs the mechanically strong and ion-permeable interlayer containing NaF and ionic compounds such as Na 2 CO 3 and sodium alkylcarbonates.

  15. Kinetic behaviour of low-Co AB5-type metal hydride electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tliha, M.; Boussami, S.; Mathlouthi, H.; Lamloumi, J.; Percheron-Guegan, A.

    2010-01-01

    The kinetic behaviour of the LaNi 3.55 Mn 0.4 Al 0.3 Co 0.4 Fe 0.35 metal hydride, used as a negative electrode in the nickel/metal hydride (Ni/MH) batteries, was investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) at different state of charge (SOC). Impedance measurements were performed in the frequency range from 50 kHz to 1 mHz. Electrochemical impedance spectrum of the metal hydride electrode was interpreted by an equivalent circuit including the different electrochemical processes taking place on the interface between the MH electrode and the electrolyte. Electrochemical kinetic parameters such as the charge-transfer resistance R tc , the exchange current density I 0 and the hydrogen diffusion coefficient D H were determined at different state of charge. The results of EIS measurements indicate that the electrochemical reaction activity of the LaNi 3.55 Mn 0.4 Al 0.3 Co 0.4 Fe 0.35 metal hydride electrode was markedly improved with increasing state of charge (SOC). The transformation α-β is probably a limiting step in the mechanisms of hydrogenation of metal hydride electrode.

  16. A Plasma-Assisted Route to the Rapid Preparation of Transition-Metal Phosphides for Energy Conversion and Storage

    KAUST Repository

    Liang, Hanfeng

    2017-06-06

    Transition-metal phosphides (TMPs) are important materials that have been widely used in catalysis, supercapacitors, batteries, sensors, light-emitting diodes, and magnets. The physical and chemical structure of a metal phosphide varies with the method of preparation as the electronic, catalytic, and magnetic properties of the metal phosphides strongly depend on their synthesis routes. Commonly practiced processes such as solid-state synthesis and ball milling have proven to be reliable routes to prepare TMPs but they generally require high temperature and long reaction time. Here, a recently developed plasma-assisted conversion route for the preparation of TMPs is reviewed, along with their applications in energy conversion and storage, including water oxidation electrocatalysis, sodium-ion batteries, and supercapacitors. The plasma-assisted synthetic route should open up a new avenue to prepare TMPs with tailored structure and morphology for various applications. In fact, the process may be further extended to the synthesis of a wide range of transition-metal compounds such as borides and fluorides at low temperature and in a rapid manner.

  17. Plasma metallization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crowther, J.M.

    1997-09-01

    Many methods are currently used for the production of thin metal films. However, all of these have drawbacks associated with them, for example the need for UHV conditions, high temperatures, exotic metal precursors, or the inability to coat complex shaped objects. Reduction of supported metal salts by non-isothermal plasma treatment does not suffer from these drawbacks. In order to produce and analyse metal films before they become contaminated, a plasma chamber which could be attached directly to a UHV chamber with XPS capability was designed and built. This allowed plasma treatment of supported metal salts and surface analysis by XPS to be performed without exposure of the metal film to the atmosphere. Non-equilibrium plasma treatment of Nylon 66 supported gold(lll) chloride using hydrogen as the feed gas resulted in a 95% pure gold film, the remaining 5% of the film being carbon. If argon or helium were used as the feed gases during plasma treatment the resultant gold films were 100% pure. Some degree of surface contamination of the films due to plasma treatment was observed but was easily removed by argon ion cleaning. Hydrogen plasma reduction of glass supported silver(l) nitrate and palladium(ll) acetate films reveals that this metallization technique is applicable to a wide variety of metal salts and supports, and has also shown the ability of plasma reduction to retain the complex 'fern-like' structures seen for spin coated silver(l) nitrate layers. Some metal salts are susceptible to decomposition by X-rays. The reduction of Nylon 66 supported gold(lll) chloride films by soft X-rays to produce nanoscopic gold particles has been studied. The spontaneous reduction of these X-ray irradiated support gold(lll) chloride films on exposure to the atmosphere to produce gold rich metallic films has also been reported. (author)

  18. Analysis of Pressure Variations in a Low-Pressure Nickel-Hydrogen Battery– Part 2: Cells with Metal Hydride Storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purushothaman, B. K.; Wainright, J. S.

    2012-01-01

    A sub-atmospheric pressure nickel hydrogen (Ni-H2) battery with metal hydride for hydrogen storage is developed for implantable neuroprosthetic devices. Pressure variations during charge and discharge of the cell are analyzed at different states of charge and are found to follow the desorption curve of the pressure composition isotherm (PCI) of the metal hydride. The measured pressure agreed well with the calculated theoretical pressure based on the PCI and is used to predict the state of charge of the battery. Hydrogen equilibration with the metal hydride during charge/discharge cycling is fast when the pressure is in the range from 8 to 13 psia and slower in the range from 6 to 8 psia. The time constant for the slower hydrogen equilibration, 1.37h, is similar to the time constant for oxygen recombination and therefore pressure changes due to different mechanisms are difficult to estimate. The self-discharge rate of the cell with metal hydride is two times lower in comparison to the cell with gaseous hydrogen storage alone and is a result of the lower pressure in the cell when the metal hydride is used. PMID:22711974

  19. ‘… a metal conducts and a non-metal doesn't’

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, P. P.; Lodge, M. T. J.; Hensel, F.; Redmer, R.

    2010-01-01

    In a letter to one of the authors, Sir Nevill Mott, then in his tenth decade, highlighted the fact that the statement ‘… a metal conducts, and a non-metal doesn’t’ can be true only at the absolute zero of temperature, T=0 K. But, of course, experimental studies of metals, non-metals and, indeed, the electronic and thermodynamic transition between these canonical states of matter must always occur above T=0 K, and, in many important cases, for temperatures far above the absolute zero. Here, we review the issues—theoretical and experimental—attendant on studies of the metal to non-metal transition in doped semiconductors at temperatures close to absolute zero (T=0.03 K) and fluid chemical elements at temperatures far above absolute zero (T>1000 K). We attempt to illustrate Mott’s insights for delving into such complex phenomena and experimental systems, finding intuitively the dominant features of the science, and developing a coherent picture of the different competing electronic processes. A particular emphasis is placed on the idea of a ‘Mott metal to non-metal transition’ in the nominally metallic chemical elements rubidium, caesium and mercury, and the converse metallization transition in the nominally non-metal elements hydrogen and oxygen. We also review major innovations by D. A. Goldhammer (Goldhammer 1913 Dispersion und absorption des lichtes) and K. F. Herzfeld (Herzfeld 1927 Phys. Rev. 29, 701–705. (doi:10.1103/PhysRev.29.701)) in a pre-quantum theory description of the metal–non-metal transition, which emphasize the pivotal role of atomic properties in dictating the metallic or non-metallic status of the chemical elements of the periodic table under ambient and extreme conditions; a link with Pauling’s ‘metallic orbital’ is also established here. PMID:20123742

  20. The Production of Uranium Metal by Metal Hydrides Incorporated

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alexander, P. P.

    1943-01-01

    Metal Hydrides Incorporated was a pioneer in the production of uranium metal on a commercial scale and supplied it to all the laboratories interested in the original research, before other methods for its production were developed. Metal Hydrides Inc. supplied the major part of the metal for the construction of the first experimental pile which, on December 2, 1942, demonstrated the feasibility of the self-sustaining chain reaction and the release of atomic energy.

  1. Recent trends in metals extraction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Regel-Rosocka, M.

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available After near 70 years of practical usage, solvent extraction is a perfectly mastered technique of separation, widely used on an industrial scale for the separation of metals mainly from raw materials. However, currently, in the era of depleting natural resources and increasingly less accessible deposits, environmental restrictions, etc., an increasing interest, both from social and economical constrains, is being directed at the extraction of metals from the secondary sources (such as batteries, electronic scrap. In many cases, solvent extraction, due to its operational characteristics, can be considered as the Best Available Technology for the purpose of separating multielemental metal solutions. This paper provides a brief overview of past achievements and present scenario of solvent extraction investigations and developments, describing some recently commissioned solvent extraction plants, whereas the Skorpion Zinc plant (Namibia for zinc extraction from raw materials and caesium removal from radioactive High Level Wastes (HLWs are told over in detail as case studies. The paper also presents some proposals for the use of liquid-liquid extraction to separate metal ions from secondary sources (e.g. cobalt from industrial waste streams. The review highlights the emerging use of ionic liquids as new extractants for metals, providing an insight into this exciting research field. Despite its detractors, solvent extraction has entered in force into XXI century as a leading separation technology for metals.Después de casi 70 años de uso práctico, la extracción líquido-líquido o extracción con disolventes es una técnica de separación muy evolucionada, utilizándose a escala industrial en el beneficio de metales obtenidos de diversas materias primas. Sin embargo, con el agotamiento de los recursos naturales y el aumento de depósitos minerales de más difícil acceso, restricciones medio ambientales, etc., ha aumentado el interés, tanto desde

  2. Complex Metal Hydrides for Hydrogen, Thermal and Electrochemical Energy Storage

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moller, Kasper T.; Sheppard, Drew; Ravnsbaek, Dorthe B.

    2017-01-01

    Hydrogen has a very diverse chemistry and reacts with most other elements to form compounds, which have fascinating structures, compositions and properties. Complex metal hydrides are a rapidly expanding class of materials, approaching multi-functionality, in particular within the energy storage...... inspiration to solve the great challenge of our time: efficient conversion and large-scale storage of renewable energy....... field. This review illustrates that complex metal hydrides may store hydrogen in the solid state, act as novel battery materials, both as electrolytes and electrode materials, or store solar heat in a more efficient manner as compared to traditional heat storage materials. Furthermore, it is highlighted...

  3. Oxygen Selective Membranes for Li-Air (O2 Batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Salomon

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Lithium-air (Li-air batteries have a much higher theoretical energy density than conventional lithium batteries and other metal air batteries, so they are being developed for applications that require long life. Water vapor from air must be prevented from corroding the lithium (Li metal negative electrode during discharge under ambient conditions, i.e., in humid air. One method of protecting the Li metal from corrosion is to use an oxygen selective membrane (OSM that allows oxygen into the cell while stopping or slowing the ingress of water vapor. The desired properties and some potential materials for OSMs for Li-air batteries are discussed and the literature is reviewed.

  4. Hydrogen storage alloy electrode of metal hydride alkaline storage battery and its production method; Kinzoku-suisokabutsu arukari chikudenchiyo no suiso kyuzo gokin denkyoku oyobi sono seizo hoho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsuura, Y.; Nogami, K.; Kimoto, M.; Higashiyama, N.; Kuroda, Y.; Yonezu, I.; Nishio, K.

    1997-03-28

    Recently, a proposal was made of employing the hydrogen storage alloy produced by means f rapidly solidifying single roll method, i.e., a method of projecting the molten alloy onto the surface of roll rotating in high speed as for the negative electrode material of the metal hydride alkaline battery. However, the hydrogen storage alloy produced by the single roll method has a heterogeneous grain size. This invention solves the problem. The Mm{center_dot}Ni{center_dot}Co{center_dot}Al{center_dot}Mn alloy ribbon with average thickness of 0.08 - 0.35 mm is produced by means of single roll method. The grain size of the alloy is over 0.2 micrometer on roll surface side and below 18 micrometers on open surface side. The alloy is ground to be used for the hydrogen absorbent. The general formula of this alloy is MmR(x) (Mm = mischmetal, R = Ni, Co, Al, Mn). In this way, the metal hydride alkaline battery with excellent high rate discharge characteristic at the initial stage of charge-discharge cycle, excellent charge-discharge cycle characteristic, and excellent inner pressure characteristic can be produced. 2 figs., 5 tabs.

  5. Utility industry evaluation of the metal fuel facility and metal fuel performance for liquid metal reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burstein, S.; Gibbons, J.P.; High, M.D.; O'Boyle, D.R.; Pickens, T.A.; Pilmer, D.F.; Tomonto, J.R.; Weinberg, C.J.

    1990-02-01

    A team of utility industry representatives evaluated the liquid metal reactor metal fuel process and facility conceptual design being developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) under Department of Energy sponsorship. The utility team concluded that a highly competent ANL team was making impressive progress in developing high performance advanced metal fuel and an economic processing and fabrication technology. The utility team concluded that the potential benefits of advanced metal fuel justified the development program, but that, at this early stage, there are considerable uncertainties in predicting the net overall economic benefit of metal fuel. Specific comments and recommendations are provided as a contribution towards enhancing the development program. 6 refs

  6. Predicting Metal Speciation & Bioavailability via Estimation of Metal-Organic Thermodynamic Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasad, A.; Howells, A. E.; Shock, E.

    2017-12-01

    The biological fate of any metal depends on its chemical form in the environment. Arsenic for example, is extremely toxic in the form of inorganic As+3 but completely benign in the organic form of arsenobetaine. Thus, given an exhaustive set of reactions and their equilibrium constants (logK), the bioavailability of any metal can be obtained for blood plasma, hydrothermal fluids or any system of interest. While many data exist for metal-inorganic ligands, logK data covering the temperature range of life for metal-organic complexes are sparse. Hence, we decided to estimate metal-organic logK values from correlations with the commonly available values of ligand pKa. Metal ion specific correlations were made with ligands classified according to their electron donor atoms, denticity and other chemical factors. While this approach has been employed before (Carbonaro et al. 2007, GCA 71, 3958-3968), new correlations were developed that provide estimates even when no metal-organic logK is available. In addition, we have used the same methods to make estimates of metal-organic entropy of association (ΔaS), which can provide logK for any temperature of biological relevance. Our current correlations employ logK and ΔaS data from 30 metal ions (like the biologically relevant Fe+3 & Zn+2) and 74 ligands (like formate and ethylenediamine), which can be expanded to estimate the metal-ligand reaction properties for these 30 metal ions with a possibly limitless number of ligands that may belong to our categories of ligands. With the help of such data, copper speciation was obtained for a defined growth medium for methanotrophs employed by Morton et al. (2000, AEM 66, 1730-1733) that agrees with experimental measurements showing that the free metal ion may not be the bioavailable form in all conditions. These results encourage us to keep filling the gaps in metal-organic logK data and continue finding relationships between biological responses (like metal-accumulation ratios

  7. Recovery of valuable metals from waste cathode materials of spent lithium-ion batteries using mild phosphoric acid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Xiangping, E-mail: chenxiangping101@163.com [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi’an 710021 (China); College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Ma, Hongrui, E-mail: mahr@sust.edu.cn [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi’an 710021 (China); Luo, Chuanbao; Zhou, Tao [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China)

    2017-03-15

    Graphical abstract: Cobalt can be directly recovered as Co{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2} from waste LiCoO{sub 2} using H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} as leaching and precipitating agent. - Highlights: • Phosphoric acid was innovatively used as leaching and precipitating agent. • Over 99% Co and Li can be separated and recovered in a single leaching step. • Co and Li can be separated under mild conditions of 40 °C and 0.7 M H{sub 3}PO{sub 4}. • Activation energy values for Co and Li are 7.3 and 10.168 kJ/mol. • Cobalt phosphate (97.1% in purity) can be obtained as the leaching product. - Abstract: Sustainable recycling of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) may be necessary to alleviate the depletion of strategic metal resources and potential risk of environmental pollution. Herein a hydrometallurgical process was proposed to explore the possibility for the recovery of valuable metals from the cathode materials (LiCoO{sub 2}) of spent LIBs using phosphoric acid as both leaching and precipitating agent under mild leaching conditions. According to the leaching results, over 99% Co can be separated and recovered as Co{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2} in a short-cut process involved merely with leaching and filtrating, under the optimized leaching conditions of 40 °C (T), 60 min (t), 4 vol.% H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, 20 mL g{sup −1} (L/S) and 0.7 mol/L H{sub 3}PO{sub 4}. Then leaching kinetics was investigated based on the logarithmic rate kinetics model and the obtained results indicate that the leaching of Co and Li fits well with this model and the activation energies (Ea) for Co and Li are 7.3 and 10.2 kJ/mol, respectively. Finally, it can be discovered from characterization results that the obtained product is 97.1% pure cobalt phosphate (Co{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}).

  8. Chemistry and physics at liquid alkali metal/solid metal interfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barker, M.G.

    1977-01-01

    This paper describes the chemistry of processes which take place at the interface between liquid alkali metals and solid metal surfaces. A brief review of wetting data for liquid sodium is given and the significance of critical wetting temperatures discussed on the basis of an oxide-film reduction mechanism. The reactions of metal oxides with liquid metals are outlined and a correlation with wetting data established. The transfer of dissolved species from the liquid metal across the interface to form solid phases on the solid metal surface is well recognised. The principal features of such processes are described and a simple thermodynamic explanation is outlined. The reverse process, the removal of solid material into solution, is also considered. (author)

  9. High Re-Operation Rates Using Conserve Metal-On-Metal Total Hip Articulations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mogensen, S L; Jakobsen, Thomas; Christoffersen, Hardy

    2016-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Metal-on-metal hip articulations have been intensely debated after reports of adverse reactions and high failure rates. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the implant of a metal-on.metal total hip articulation (MOM THA) from a single manufacture in a two-center st......INTRODUCTION: Metal-on-metal hip articulations have been intensely debated after reports of adverse reactions and high failure rates. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the implant of a metal-on.metal total hip articulation (MOM THA) from a single manufacture in a two...

  10. Microfocus study of metal distribution and speciation in tissue extracted from revised metal on metal hip implants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hart, Alister J [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Imperial College and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital Campus, Fulham Palace Rd, London W6 8RF (United Kingdom); Sandison, Ann [Department of Histopathology, Imperial College and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital Campus, Fulham Palace Rd, London W6 8RF (United Kingdom); Quinn, Paul; Mosselmans, J Frederick W [Science Division, Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0DE (United Kingdom); Sampson, Barry [Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Imperial College and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital Campus, Fulham Palace Rd, London W6 8RF (United Kingdom); Atkinson, Kirk D [8 Nuclear Department Defence Academy College of Management and Technology HMS Sultan Military Road Gosport PO12 3BY (United Kingdom); Skinner, John A [Department of Orthopaedics, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, HA7 4LP (United Kingdom); Goode, Angela [Dept of Materials, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Powell, Jonathan J, E-mail: Paul.Quinn@diamond.ac.u [Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research Centre, Cambridge CB1 9NL (United Kingdom)

    2009-11-15

    Unexplained tissue inflammation in metal-on-metal hip replacements is suspected to be caused by implant-derived nanoparticles. The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of the metal particles in tissue surrounding metal-on-metal (MOM) hips that has been extracted during revision. Mapping of tissue surrounding the failed MOM hips was performed using microfocus X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). This revealed mainly Cr which was localized to the cellular regions. There was co-localisation of Co, were present, to areas of high Cr abundance. XANES of the tissue and appropriate standards revealed that the most common species were Cr(III) and Co(II). EXAFS analysis of the tissue and various metal standards revealed that the most abundant implant-related species was Cr(III) phosphate. Different tissue preparation methods, including frozen sectioning, were examined but were found not to affect the distribution or speciation of the metals in the tissue.

  11. Microfocus study of metal distribution and speciation in tissue extracted from revised metal on metal hip implants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hart, Alister J; Sandison, Ann; Quinn, Paul; Mosselmans, J Frederick W; Sampson, Barry; Atkinson, Kirk D; Skinner, John A; Goode, Angela; Powell, Jonathan J

    2009-01-01

    Unexplained tissue inflammation in metal-on-metal hip replacements is suspected to be caused by implant-derived nanoparticles. The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of the metal particles in tissue surrounding metal-on-metal (MOM) hips that has been extracted during revision. Mapping of tissue surrounding the failed MOM hips was performed using microfocus X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). This revealed mainly Cr which was localized to the cellular regions. There was co-localisation of Co, were present, to areas of high Cr abundance. XANES of the tissue and appropriate standards revealed that the most common species were Cr(III) and Co(II). EXAFS analysis of the tissue and various metal standards revealed that the most abundant implant-related species was Cr(III) phosphate. Different tissue preparation methods, including frozen sectioning, were examined but were found not to affect the distribution or speciation of the metals in the tissue.

  12. Electrochemical Characteristics of Layered Transition Metal Oxide Cathode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries: Surface, Bulk Behavior, and Thermal Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Chixia; Lin, Feng; Doeff, Marca M

    2018-01-16

    Layered lithium transition metal oxides, in particular, NMCs (LiNi x Co y Mn z O 2 ) represent a family of prominent lithium ion battery cathode materials with the potential to increase energy densities and lifetime, reduce costs, and improve safety for electric vehicles and grid storage. Our work has focused on various strategies to improve performance and to understand the limitations to these strategies, which include altering compositions, utilizing cation substitutions, and charging to higher than usual potentials in cells. Understanding the effects of these strategies on surface and bulk behavior and correlating structure-performance relationships advance our understanding of NMC materials. This also provides information relevant to the efficacy of various approaches toward ensuring reliable operation of these materials in batteries intended for demanding traction and grid storage applications. In this Account, we start by comparing NMCs to the isostructural LiCoO 2 cathode, which is widely used in consumer batteries. Effects of changing the metal content (Ni, Mn, Co) upon structure and performance of NMCs are briefly discussed. Our early work on the effects of partial substitution of Al, Fe, and Ti for Co on the electrochemical and bulk structural properties is then covered. The original aim of this work was to reduce the Co content (and thus the raw materials cost) and to determine the effect of the substitutions on the electrochemical and bulk structural properties. More recently, we have turned to the application of synchrotron and advanced microscopy techniques to understand both bulk and surface characteristics of the NMCs. Via nanoscale-to-macroscale spectroscopy and atomically resolved imaging techniques, we were able to determine that the surfaces of NMC undergo heterogeneous reconstruction from a layered structure to rock salt under a variety of conditions. Interestingly, formation of rock salt also occurs under abuse conditions. The surface

  13. Amorphous metal composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Byrne, M.A.; Lupinski, J.H.

    1984-01-01

    This patent discloses an improved amorphous metal composite and process of making the composite. The amorphous metal composite comprises amorphous metal (e.g. iron) and a low molecular weight thermosetting polymer binder. The process comprises placing an amorphous metal in particulate form and a thermosetting polymer binder powder into a container, mixing these materials, and applying heat and pressure to convert the mixture into an amorphous metal composite

  14. Semi-metallic polymers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bubnova, Olga; Khan, Zia Ullah; Wang, Hui

    2014-01-01

    Polymers are lightweight, flexible, solution-processable materials that are promising for low-cost printed electronics as well as for mass-produced and large-area applications. Previous studies demonstrated that they can possess insulating, semiconducting or metallic properties; here we report...... that polymers can also be semi-metallic. Semi-metals, exemplified by bismuth, graphite and telluride alloys, have no energy bandgap and a very low density of states at the Fermi level. Furthermore, they typically have a higher Seebeck coefficient and lower thermal conductivities compared with metals, thus being...... a Fermi glass to a semi-metal. The high Seebeck value, the metallic conductivity at room temperature and the absence of unpaired electron spins makes polymer semi-metals attractive for thermoelectrics and spintronics....

  15. Recent Advances on Sodium-Oxygen Batteries: A Chemical Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadegari, Hossein; Sun, Xueliang

    2018-06-19

    Releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere because of widespread use of fossil fuels by humankind has resulted in raising the earth's temperature during the past few decades. Known as global warming, increasing the earth's temperature may in turn endanger civilization on the earth by starting a cycle of environmental changes including climate change and sea level rise. Therefore, replacing fossil fuels with more sustainable energy resources has been considered as one of the main strategies to tackle the global warming crisis. In this regard, energy saving devices are required to store the energy from sustainable resources like wind and solar when they are available and deliver them on demand. Moreover, developing plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) as an alternative for internal combustion engines has been extensively pursued, since a major sector of fossil fuels is used for transportation purposes. However, currently available battery systems fail to meet the required demands for energy storage. Alkali metal-O 2 battery systems demonstrate a promising prospect as a high-energy density solution regarding the increasing demand of mankind for energy storage. Combining a metallic negative electrode with a breathing oxygen electrode, a metal-O 2 cell can be considered as a half battery/half fuel cell system. The negative electrode in the metal-O 2 cells operates a conversion reaction rather than intercalation mechanism, which eliminates the need for a host lattice. In addition, the positive electrode material (O 2 ) comes from the ambient air and hence is not stored in the battery. Therefore, the resultant battery systems exhibit the highest theoretical energy density, which is comparable to that of gasoline. Accordingly, an unprecedented amount of research activity was directed toward alkali metal-O 2 batteries in the past decade in response to the need for high-energy storage technology in electric transportation. This extensive research surge has resulted in a

  16. Quantitative probe of the transition metal redox in battery electrodes through soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Qinghao; Chen, Jun; Chen, Yanxue; Yan, Shishen; Qiao, Ruimin; Zhuo, Zengqing; Hussain, Zahid; Yang, Wanli; Wray, L Andrew; Pan, Feng

    2016-01-01

    Most battery positive electrodes operate with a 3 d transition-metal (TM) reaction centre. A direct and quantitative probe of the TM states upon electrochemical cycling is valuable for understanding the detailed cycling mechanism and charge diffusion in the electrodes, which is related with many practical parameters of a battery. This review includes a comprehensive summary of our recent demonstrations of five different types of quantitative analysis of the TM states in battery electrodes based on soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy and multiplet calculations. In LiFePO 4 , a system of a well-known two-phase transformation type, the TM redox could be strictly determined through a simple linear combination of the two end-members. In Mn-based compounds, the Mn states could also be quantitatively evaluated, but a set of reference spectra with all the three possible Mn valences needs to be deliberately selected and considered in the fitting. Although the fluorescence signals suffer the self-absorption distortion, the multiplet calculations could consider the distortion effect, which allows a quantitative determination of the overall Ni oxidation state in the bulk. With the aid of multiplet calculations, one could also achieve a quasi-quantitative analysis of the Co redox evolution in LiCoO 2 based on the energy position of the spectroscopic peak. The benefit of multiplet calculations is more important for studying electrode materials with TMs of mixed spin states, as exemplified by the quantitative analysis of the mixed spin Na 2−x Fe 2 (CN) 6 system. At the end, we showcase that such quantitative analysis could provide valuable information for optimizing the electrochemical performance of Na 0.44 MnO 2 electrodes for Na-ion batteries. The methodology summarized in this review could be extended to other energy application systems with TM redox centre for detailed analysis, for example, fuel cell and catalytic materials. (topical review)

  17. Crystallochemistry of rhenium compounds with metal-metal bonds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koz'min, P.A.; Surazhskaya, M.D.

    1980-01-01

    A review is presented including a brief description of atomic structure of 59 coordination rhenium compounds with metal-metal bond. The most important bond lengths and valent angles are presented for each compound. The dependence of rhenium-rhenium bond length on its multiplicity is discussed and possible causes of deviations from this dependence (namely, axial ligand presence, steric repulsion of ligands) are considered. On the basis of qualitative comparison of electronegativity of ligands in dimer compounds with quarternary bond of rhenium-rhenium a supposition is made on the influence of formal charge of atomic group and summary electro-negativity of ligands on the possibility of the metal-metal bond formation

  18. Magnetic resonance imaging of metal artifact reduction sequences in the assessment of metal-on-metal hip prostheses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aboelmagd SM

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Sharief M Aboelmagd, Paul N Malcolm, Andoni P Toms Department of Radiology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital National Health Service Trust, Norwich, UK Abstract: Recent developments in metal artifact reduction techniques in magnetic resonance (MR have, in large part, been stimulated by the advent of soft tissue complications associated with modern metal-on-metal total hip replacements. Metallic orthopedic implants can result in severe degradation of MR images because ferromagnetic susceptibility causes signal loss, signal pile-up, geometric distortion, and failure of fat suppression. There are several approaches to controlling these susceptibility artifacts. Standard fast spin echo sequences can be adapted by modifying echo times, matrix, receiver bandwidth, slice thickness, and echo trains to minimize frequency encoding misregistration. Short tau inversion recovery and 2-point Dixon techniques are both more resistant to susceptibility artifacts than spectral fat suppression. A number of dedicated metal artifact reduction sequences are now available commercially. The common approach of these multispectral techniques is to generate three dimensional datasets from which the final images are reconstructed. Frequency encoding misregistration is controlled using a variety of techniques, including specific resonant frequency acquisition, view-angle tilting, and phase encoding. Metal artifact reduction MR imaging has been the key to understanding the prevalence, severity, and prognosis of adverse reactions to metal debris in metal-on-metal hip replacements. Conventional radiographs are typically normal or demonstrate minimal change and are unable to demonstrate the often extensive soft tissue abnormalities, which include necrosis, soft tissue masses and fluid collections, myositis, muscle atrophy, tendon avulsions, and osteonecrosis. These MR findings correlate poorly with clinical and serological measures of disease, and therefore MR imaging is

  19. Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Thin films of metal-organic compounds and metal nanoparticle-embedded polymers for nonlinear optical applications. S Philip Anthony Shatabdi Porel D ... Thin films based on two very different metal-organic systems are developed and some nonlinear optical applications are explored. A family of zinc complexes which ...

  20. The tribology of metal-on-metal total hip replacements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scholes, S C; Unsworth, A

    2006-02-01

    Total hip surgery is an effective way of alleviating the pain and discomfort caused by diseased or damaged joints. However, in the majority of cases, these joints have a finite life. The main reason for failure is osteolysis (bone resorption). It is well documented that an important cause of osteolysis, and therefore the subsequent loosening and failure of conventional metal- or ceramic-on-ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene joints, is the body's immunological response to the polyethylene wear particles. To avoid this, interest has been renewed in metal-on-metal joints. The intention of this paper is to review the studies that have taken place within different laboratories to determine the tribological performance of new-generation metal-on-metal total hip replacements. These types of joint offer a potential solution to enhance the longevity of prosthetic hip systems; however, problems may arise owing to the effects of metal ion release, which are, as yet, not fully understood.

  1. Pristine Metal-Organic Frameworks and their Composites for Energy Storage and Conversion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Zibin; Qu, Chong; Guo, Wenhan; Zou, Ruqiang; Xu, Qiang

    2017-11-22

    Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a new class of crystalline porous organic-inorganic hybrid materials, have recently attracted increasing interest in the field of energy storage and conversion. Herein, recent progress of MOFs and MOF composites for energy storage and conversion applications, including photochemical and electrochemical fuel production (hydrogen production and CO 2 reduction), water oxidation, supercapacitors, and Li-based batteries (Li-ion, Li-S, and Li-O 2 batteries), is summarized. Typical development strategies (e.g., incorporation of active components, design of smart morphologies, and judicious selection of organic linkers and metal nodes) of MOFs and MOF composites for particular energy storage and conversion applications are highlighted. A broad overview of recent progress is provided, which will hopefully promote the future development of MOFs and MOF composites for advanced energy storage and conversion applications. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Assessment of some heavy metals in the surrounding soils of an ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... elevate the normal background level and thereby contaminate the soils and make it unfit for agricultural purposes as plant take up the leached metals and ultimately find its way into animals and human body through the food chain. Keywords: Food chain, Battery Company, lead pollutant, assessment, agricultural purposes ...

  3. Silicone metalization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maghribi, Mariam N. (Livermore, CA); Krulevitch, Peter (Pleasanton, CA); Hamilton, Julie (Tracy, CA)

    2008-12-09

    A system for providing metal features on silicone comprising providing a silicone layer on a matrix and providing a metal layer on the silicone layer. An electronic apparatus can be produced by the system. The electronic apparatus comprises a silicone body and metal features on the silicone body that provide an electronic device.

  4. An environment-dependent semi-empirical tight binding model suitable for electron transport in bulk metals, metal alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures. I. Model and validation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hegde, Ganesh, E-mail: ghegde@purdue.edu; Povolotskyi, Michael; Kubis, Tillmann; Klimeck, Gerhard, E-mail: gekco@purdue.edu [Network for Computational Nanotechnology (NCN), Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 (United States); Boykin, Timothy [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alabama, Huntsville, Alabama (United States)

    2014-03-28

    Semi-empirical Tight Binding (TB) is known to be a scalable and accurate atomistic representation for electron transport for realistically extended nano-scaled semiconductor devices that might contain millions of atoms. In this paper, an environment-aware and transferable TB model suitable for electronic structure and transport simulations in technologically relevant metals, metallic alloys, metal nanostructures, and metallic interface systems are described. Part I of this paper describes the development and validation of the new TB model. The new model incorporates intra-atomic diagonal and off-diagonal elements for implicit self-consistency and greater transferability across bonding environments. The dependence of the on-site energies on strain has been obtained by appealing to the Moments Theorem that links closed electron paths in the system to energy moments of angular momentum resolved local density of states obtained ab initio. The model matches self-consistent density functional theory electronic structure results for bulk face centered cubic metals with and without strain, metallic alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures with high accuracy and can be used in predictive electronic structure and transport problems in metallic systems at realistically extended length scales.

  5. An environment-dependent semi-empirical tight binding model suitable for electron transport in bulk metals, metal alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures. I. Model and validation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hegde, Ganesh; Povolotskyi, Michael; Kubis, Tillmann; Klimeck, Gerhard; Boykin, Timothy

    2014-01-01

    Semi-empirical Tight Binding (TB) is known to be a scalable and accurate atomistic representation for electron transport for realistically extended nano-scaled semiconductor devices that might contain millions of atoms. In this paper, an environment-aware and transferable TB model suitable for electronic structure and transport simulations in technologically relevant metals, metallic alloys, metal nanostructures, and metallic interface systems are described. Part I of this paper describes the development and validation of the new TB model. The new model incorporates intra-atomic diagonal and off-diagonal elements for implicit self-consistency and greater transferability across bonding environments. The dependence of the on-site energies on strain has been obtained by appealing to the Moments Theorem that links closed electron paths in the system to energy moments of angular momentum resolved local density of states obtained ab initio. The model matches self-consistent density functional theory electronic structure results for bulk face centered cubic metals with and without strain, metallic alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures with high accuracy and can be used in predictive electronic structure and transport problems in metallic systems at realistically extended length scales

  6. An environment-dependent semi-empirical tight binding model suitable for electron transport in bulk metals, metal alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures. I. Model and validation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hegde, Ganesh; Povolotskyi, Michael; Kubis, Tillmann; Boykin, Timothy; Klimeck, Gerhard

    2014-03-01

    Semi-empirical Tight Binding (TB) is known to be a scalable and accurate atomistic representation for electron transport for realistically extended nano-scaled semiconductor devices that might contain millions of atoms. In this paper, an environment-aware and transferable TB model suitable for electronic structure and transport simulations in technologically relevant metals, metallic alloys, metal nanostructures, and metallic interface systems are described. Part I of this paper describes the development and validation of the new TB model. The new model incorporates intra-atomic diagonal and off-diagonal elements for implicit self-consistency and greater transferability across bonding environments. The dependence of the on-site energies on strain has been obtained by appealing to the Moments Theorem that links closed electron paths in the system to energy moments of angular momentum resolved local density of states obtained ab initio. The model matches self-consistent density functional theory electronic structure results for bulk face centered cubic metals with and without strain, metallic alloys, metallic interfaces, and metallic nanostructures with high accuracy and can be used in predictive electronic structure and transport problems in metallic systems at realistically extended length scales.

  7. The nonmetal-metal transition in solutions of metals in molten salts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tosi, M.P.

    1997-04-01

    Solutions of metals in molten salts present a rich phenomenology: localization of electrons in disordered ionic media, activated electron transport increasing with metal concentration towards a nonmetal-metal (NM-M) transition, and liquid-liquid phase separation. A brief review of progress in the study of these systems is given in this article, with main focus on the NM-M transition. After recalling the known NM-M behaviour of the component elements in the case of expanded fluid alkali metals and mercury and of solid halogens under pressure, the article focuses on liquid metal - molten salt solutions and traces the different NM-M behaviours of the alkalis in their halides and of metals added to polyvalent metal halides. (author). 51 refs, 2 figs

  8. Heavy metal movement in metal-contaminated soil profiles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Zhenbin; Shuman, L.M. [Univ. of Georgia, Griffin, GA (United States)

    1996-10-01

    Heavy metal movement in soil profiles is a major environmental concern because even slow transport through the soil may eventually lead to deterioration of groundwater quality. In this study, three metal-contaminated soil (Fuquay, Dothan, and Clarendon) were selected from cropland were a high-metal flue dust had been applied annually for 6 years to raise soil pH, with application ending 4 years before sampling. One uncontaminated soil (Tifton) from the same physiographic area was also sampled as a control. Soil samples were collected in 15-cm increments from the surface to 105 cm in depth. Total contents of Zn, Cd, and Pb in the soils samples were determined. To better understand metal movement in relation to metal fractions in the soil profile, soil samples were also extracted sequentially for exchangeable (EXC), organic matter (OM), Mn oxide (MNO), amorphous Fe oxide (AFEO), crystalline Fe oxide (CFEO), and residual (RES) fractions. 35 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.

  9. Novel Metals and Metal Complexes as Platforms for Cancer Therapy

    OpenAIRE

    Frezza, Michael; Hindo, Sarmad; Chen, Di; Davenport, Andrew; Schmitt, Sara; Tomco, Dajena; Dou, Q. Ping

    2010-01-01

    Metals are essential cellular components selected by nature to function in several indispensable biochemical processes for living organisms. Metals are endowed with unique characteristics that include redox activity, variable coordination modes, and reactivity towards organic substrates. Due to their reactivity, metals are tightly regulated under normal conditions and aberrant metal ion concentrations are associated with various pathological disorders, including cancer. For these reasons, coo...

  10. The Alchemist’s Approach to Metal Poisoning: Transforming the Metal Burden

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wayne Briner

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Metal poisoning is a global problem with humans being exposed to a wide range of metals in varying doses and varying time frames. Traditionally, treatment involves removal of the toxic source or chelation therapy. An intermediate approach is needed. This review outlines the argument for the use of essential metal supplementation as a strategy to induce metallothionein expression and displace the toxic metal from important biological systems, improving the metal burden of the patient. Specific recommendations are given for supplementation with calcium, zinc and vitamin E as a broad strategy to improve the status of those exposed to toxic metals.

  11. 21 CFR 888.3550 - Knee joint patellofemorotibial polymer/metal/metal constrained cemented prosthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Knee joint patellofemorotibial polymer/metal/metal... § 888.3550 Knee joint patellofemorotibial polymer/metal/metal constrained cemented prosthesis. (a) Identification. A knee joint patellofemorotibial polymer/metal/metal constrained cemented prosthesis is a device...

  12. Infrared plasmonic nano-lasers based on Metal Insulator Metal waveguides

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hill, M.T.

    2010-01-01

    We will present our latest results on metal-insulator-metal waveguide devices, in particular reducing the dimensions of devices and distributed feedback lasers. Also we will examine potential useful applications for metal nano-lasers.

  13. Survey the environmental effects of the household batteries on decreasing of compost quality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davari, A.; Sharifan, Hamid Reza

    2008-01-01

    The household batteries consisted the heavy metals are one of the important pollutant for Environment. whereas Iran has no environmental policy for them and without environmental planning they input to urban waste solid so this study has surveyed effect of the household batteries in urban waste solid to decreasing of compost quality that produced in Karaj composting. For this research has sampled of compost production then analyzed for assess the heavy metal. In the laboratory the samples were grind then hair sieve to convert them to similar pieces. For the measuring metal concentration first they should be extract and finally measure by adsorption atomic spectroscope. The result show high concentration of heavy metal such as Ni, Cd, Zn, Hg, etc. that there were in produced compost. So major cause of law quality of this compost refer to concentration of heavy metals. Findings were in contrary to standard concentration for agriculture soil. It's obvious the heavy metals concentration depend to quantity of consumption the kinds of batteries

  14. No association between pseudotumors, high serum metal-ion levels and metal hypersensitivity in large-head metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty at 5-7-year follow-up

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hjorth, Mette Holm; Stilling, Maiken; Soballe, Kjeld

    2015-01-01

    -ion concentrations were measured, metal allergy and atopic dermatitis were evaluated, and the questionnaires of the Oxford Hip Score (OHS), Harris Hip Score (HHS) and the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) were completed. RESULTS: Pseudotumors were found in eight patients, but they were asymptomatic and their serum...... pseudotumor formation, serum metal-ion levels, metal patch test reactivity, and atopic dermatitis. However, clinicians should be aware of asymptomatic pseudotumors, and we advise further exploration into the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of pseudotumors.......OBJECTIVE: The relationship between metal wear debris, pseudotumor formation and metal hypersensitivity is complex and not completely understood. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of pseudotumor formation in a consecutive series of metal-on-metal (MoM) total hip arthroplasty...

  15. Advances in metal forming expert system for metal forming

    CERN Document Server

    Hingole, Rahulkumar Shivajirao

    2015-01-01

    This comprehensive book offers a clear account of the theory and applications of advanced metal forming. It provides a detailed discussion of specific forming processes, such as deep drawing, rolling, bending extrusion and stamping. The author highlights recent developments of metal forming technologies and explains sound, new and powerful expert system techniques for solving advanced engineering problems in metal forming. In addition, the basics of expert systems, their importance and applications to metal forming processes, computer-aided analysis of metalworking processes, formability analysis, mathematical modeling and case studies of individual processes are presented.

  16. Ferrous and common nonferrous metals industries and associated scrap metals: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mautz, E.W.

    1975-11-01

    Literature on the common metals industries, scrap metal relationships, and transportation aspects has been reviewed as background information in a study to determine the feasibility of a portable melting facility for radioactively contaminated metals. This report draws substantially on government-sponsored studies. Aluminum, copper, iron and steel, and nickel metal industries are discussed from the viewpoints of the general industry characteristics, primary metal production processes, and secondary metal processing aspects. 46 references, 10 tables

  17. MOLECULAR STUDIES OF PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA CHL-004'S INTERACTION WITH HEAVY METALS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heavy metal contamination of soils and sediments as the result of human activity is of worldwide concern. In particular lead, which has been used in the production of batteries, gasoline, paint and pigments, is a potent neurotoxin when taken internally. Ingestion of lead can resu...

  18. Selective and low temperature transition metal intercalation in layered tellurides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yajima, Takeshi; Koshiko, Masaki; Zhang, Yaoqing; Oguchi, Tamio; Yu, Wen; Kato, Daichi; Kobayashi, Yoji; Orikasa, Yuki; Yamamoto, Takafumi; Uchimoto, Yoshiharu; Green, Mark A.; Kageyama, Hiroshi

    2016-01-01

    Layered materials embrace rich intercalation reactions to accommodate high concentrations of foreign species within their structures, and find many applications spanning from energy storage, ion exchange to secondary batteries. Light alkali metals are generally most easily intercalated due to their light mass, high charge/volume ratio and in many cases strong reducing properties. An evolving area of materials chemistry, however, is to capture metals selectively, which is of technological and environmental significance but rather unexplored. Here we show that the layered telluride T2PTe2 (T=Ti, Zr) displays exclusive insertion of transition metals (for example, Cd, Zn) as opposed to alkali cations, with tetrahedral coordination preference to tellurium. Interestingly, the intercalation reactions proceed in solid state and at surprisingly low temperatures (for example, 80 °C for cadmium in Ti2PTe2). The current method of controlling selectivity provides opportunities in the search for new materials for various applications that used to be possible only in a liquid. PMID:27966540

  19. Preparation and electrochemical properties of core-shell carbon coated Mn–Sn complex metal oxide as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Ruixue [Key Laboratory of Lithium Battery Materials of Jiangsu Province, Institute of chemical power sources, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006 (China); Fang, Guoqing; Liu, Weiwei [Key Laboratory of Lithium Battery Materials of Jiangsu Province, Institute of chemical power sources, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006 (China); Changzhou Institute of Energy Storage Materials and Devices, Changzhou 213000 (China); Xia, Bingbo; Sun, Hongdan; Zheng, Junwei [Key Laboratory of Lithium Battery Materials of Jiangsu Province, Institute of chemical power sources, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006 (China); Li, Decheng, E-mail: lidecheng@suda.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Lithium Battery Materials of Jiangsu Province, Institute of chemical power sources, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006 (China)

    2014-02-15

    In this study, we synthesized a carbon coated Mn–Sn metal oxide composite with core-shell structure (MTO@C) via a simple glucose hydrothermal reaction and subsequent carbonization approach. When the MTO@C composite was applied as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, it maintained a reversible capacity of 409 mA h g{sup −1} after 200 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g{sup −1}. The uniformed and continuous carbon layer formed on the MTO nanoparticles, effectively buffered the volumetric change of the active material and increased electronic conductivity, which thus prolonged the cycling performance of the MTO@C electrode.

  20. Preparation and electrochemical properties of core-shell carbon coated Mn–Sn complex metal oxide as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Ruixue; Fang, Guoqing; Liu, Weiwei; Xia, Bingbo; Sun, Hongdan; Zheng, Junwei; Li, Decheng

    2014-01-01

    In this study, we synthesized a carbon coated Mn–Sn metal oxide composite with core-shell structure (MTO@C) via a simple glucose hydrothermal reaction and subsequent carbonization approach. When the MTO@C composite was applied as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, it maintained a reversible capacity of 409 mA h g −1 after 200 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g −1 . The uniformed and continuous carbon layer formed on the MTO nanoparticles, effectively buffered the volumetric change of the active material and increased electronic conductivity, which thus prolonged the cycling performance of the MTO@C electrode.

  1. Preparation and electrochemical properties of core-shell carbon coated Mn-Sn complex metal oxide as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ruixue; Fang, Guoqing; Liu, Weiwei; Xia, Bingbo; Sun, Hongdan; Zheng, Junwei; Li, Decheng

    2014-02-01

    In this study, we synthesized a carbon coated Mn-Sn metal oxide composite with core-shell structure (MTO@C) via a simple glucose hydrothermal reaction and subsequent carbonization approach. When the MTO@C composite was applied as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, it maintained a reversible capacity of 409 mA h g-1 after 200 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g-1. The uniformed and continuous carbon layer formed on the MTO nanoparticles, effectively buffered the volumetric change of the active material and increased electronic conductivity, which thus prolonged the cycling performance of the MTO@C electrode.

  2. Light metal production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Qinbai

    2016-04-19

    An electrochemical process for the production of light metals, particularly aluminum. Such a process involves contacting a light metal source material with an inorganic acid to form a solution containing the light metal ions in high concentration. The solution is fed to an electrochemical reactor assembly having an anode side containing an anode and a cathode side containing a cathode, with anode side and the cathode side separated by a bipolar membrane, with the solution being fed to the anode side. Light metal ions are electrochemically transferred through the bipolar membrane to the cathode side. The process further involves reducing the light metal ions to light metal powder. An associated processing system is also provided.

  3. Drosophila melanogaster Models of Metal-Related Human Diseases and Metal Toxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calap-Quintana, Pablo; González-Fernández, Javier; Sebastiá-Ortega, Noelia; Llorens, José Vicente; Moltó, María Dolores

    2017-07-06

    Iron, copper and zinc are transition metals essential for life because they are required in a multitude of biological processes. Organisms have evolved to acquire metals from nutrition and to maintain adequate levels of each metal to avoid damaging effects associated with its deficiency, excess or misplacement. Interestingly, the main components of metal homeostatic pathways are conserved, with many orthologues of the human metal-related genes having been identified and characterized in Drosophila melanogaster . Drosophila has gained appreciation as a useful model for studying human diseases, including those caused by mutations in pathways controlling cellular metal homeostasis. Flies have many advantages in the laboratory, such as a short life cycle, easy handling and inexpensive maintenance. Furthermore, they can be raised in a large number. In addition, flies are greatly appreciated because they offer a considerable number of genetic tools to address some of the unresolved questions concerning disease pathology, which in turn could contribute to our understanding of the metal metabolism and homeostasis. This review recapitulates the metabolism of the principal transition metals, namely iron, zinc and copper, in Drosophila and the utility of this organism as an experimental model to explore the role of metal dyshomeostasis in different human diseases. Finally, a summary of the contribution of Drosophila as a model for testing metal toxicity is provided.

  4. Direct Metal Laser Sintering: A Digitised Metal Casting Technology

    OpenAIRE

    Venkatesh, K. Vijay; Nandini, V. Vidyashree

    2013-01-01

    Dental technology is undergoing advancements at a fast pace and technology is being imported from various other fields. One such imported technology is direct metal laser sintering technology for casting metal crowns. This article will discuss the process of laser sintering for making metal crowns and fixed partial dentures with a understanding of their pros and cons.

  5. Direct metal laser sintering: a digitised metal casting technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venkatesh, K Vijay; Nandini, V Vidyashree

    2013-12-01

    Dental technology is undergoing advancements at a fast pace and technology is being imported from various other fields. One such imported technology is direct metal laser sintering technology for casting metal crowns. This article will discuss the process of laser sintering for making metal crowns and fixed partial dentures with a understanding of their pros and cons.

  6. Countering the Segregation of Transition-Metal Ions in LiMn1/3 Co1/3 Ni1/3 O2 Cathode for Ultralong Life and High-Energy Li-Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Dong; Fang, Shaohua; Tamiya, Yu; Yang, Li; Hirano, Shin-Ichi

    2016-08-01

    High-voltage layered lithium transition-metal oxides are very promising cathodes for high-energy Li-ion batteries. However, these materials often suffer from a fast degradation of cycling stability due to structural evolutions. It seriously impedes the large-scale application of layered lithium transition-metal oxides. In this work, an ultralong life LiMn1/3 Co1/3 Ni1/3 O2 microspherical cathode is prepared by constructing an Mn-rich surface. Its capacity retention ratio at 700 mA g(-1) is as large as 92.9% after 600 cycles. The energy dispersive X-ray maps of electrodes after numerous cycles demonstrate that the ultralong life of the as-prepared cathode is attributed to the mitigation of TM-ions segregation. Additionally, it is discovered that layered lithium transition-metal oxide cathodes with an Mn-rich surface can mitigate the segregation of TM ions and the corrosion of active materials. This study provides a new strategy to counter the segregation of TM ions in layered lithium transition-metal oxides and will help to the design and development of high-energy cathodes with ultralong life. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Electrochemical Interphases for High-Energy Storage Using Reactive Metal Anodes

    KAUST Repository

    Wei, Shuya

    2017-12-11

    Conspectus Stable electrochemical interphases play a critical role in regulating transport of mass and charge in all electrochemical energy storage (EES) systems. In state-of-the-art rechargeable lithium ion batteries, they are rarely formed by design but instead spontaneously emerge from electrochemical degradation of electrolyte and electrode components. High-energy secondary batteries that utilize reactive metal anodes (e.g., Li, Na, Si, Sn, Al) to store large amounts of charge by alloying and/or electrodeposition reactions introduce fundamental challenges that require rational design in order to stabilize the interphases. Chemical instability of the electrodes in contact with electrolytes, morphological instability of the metal–electrolyte interface upon plating and stripping, and hydrodynamic-instability-induced electroconvection of the electrolyte at high currents are all known to cause metal electrode–electrolyte interfaces to continuously evolve in morphology, uniformity, and composition. Additionally, metal anodes undergo large changes in volume during lithiation and delithiation, which means that even in the rare cases where spontaneously formed solid electrode–electrolyte interphases (SEIs) are in thermodynamic equilibrium with the electrode, the SEI is under dynamic strain, which inevitably leads to cracking and/or rupture during extended battery cycling. There is an urgent need for interphases that are able to overcome each of these sources of instability with minimal losses of electrolyte and electrode components. Complementary chemical synthesis strategies are likewise urgently needed to create self-limited and mechanically durable SEIs that are able to flex and shrink to accommodate volume change. These needs are acute for practically relevant cells that cannot utilize large excesses of anode and electrolyte as employed in proof-of-concept-type experiments reported in the scientific literature. This disconnect between practical needs and

  8. Application of a mixed metal oxide catalyst to a metallic substrate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sevener, Kathleen M. (Inventor); Lohner, Kevin A. (Inventor); Mays, Jeffrey A. (Inventor); Wisner, Daniel L. (Inventor)

    2009-01-01

    A method for applying a mixed metal oxide catalyst to a metallic substrate for the creation of a robust, high temperature catalyst system for use in decomposing propellants, particularly hydrogen peroxide propellants, for use in propulsion systems. The method begins by forming a prepared substrate material consisting of a metallic inner substrate and a bound layer of a noble metal intermediate. Alternatively, a bound ceramic coating, or frit, may be introduced between the metallic inner substrate and noble metal intermediate when the metallic substrate is oxidation resistant. A high-activity catalyst slurry is applied to the surface of the prepared substrate and dried to remove the organic solvent. The catalyst layer is then heat treated to bind the catalyst layer to the surface. The bound catalyst layer is then activated using an activation treatment and calcinations to form the high-activity catalyst system.

  9. Prospects and Limits of Energy Storage in Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abraham, K M

    2015-03-05

    Energy densities of Li ion batteries, limited by the capacities of cathode materials, must increase by a factor of 2 or more to give all-electric automobiles a 300 mile driving range on a single charge. Battery chemical couples with very low equivalent weights have to be sought to produce such batteries. Advanced Li ion batteries may not be able to meet this challenge in the near term. The state-of-the-art of Li ion batteries is discussed, and the challenges of developing ultrahigh energy density rechargeable batteries are identified. Examples of ultrahigh energy density battery chemical couples include Li/O2, Li/S, Li/metal halide, and Li/metal oxide systems. Future efforts are also expected to involve all-solid-state batteries with performance similar to their liquid electrolyte counterparts, biodegradable batteries to address environmental challenges, and low-cost long cycle-life batteries for large-scale energy storage. Ultimately, energy densities of electrochemical energy storage systems are limited by chemistry constraints.

  10. Effect of preparation method of metal hydride electrode on efficiency of hydrogen electrosorption process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giza, Krystyna [Czestochowa University of Technology (Poland). Faculty of Production Engineering and Materials Technology; Drulis, Henryk [Trzebiatowski Institute of Low Temperatures and Structure Research PAS, Wroclaw (Poland)

    2016-02-15

    The preparation of negative electrodes for nickel-metal hydride batteries using LaNi{sub 4.3}Co{sub 0.4}Al{sub 0.3} alloy is presented. The constant current discharge technique is employed to determine the discharge capacity, the exchange current density and the hydrogen diffusion coefficient of the studied electrodes. The electrochemical performance of metal hydride electrode is strongly affected by preparation conditions. The results are compared and the advantages and disadvantages of preparation methods of the electrodes are also discussed.

  11. A material flow of lithium batteries in Taiwan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, T.C.; You, S.J.; Yu, B.S.; Yao, K.F.

    2009-01-01

    Li batteries, including secondary and cylindrical/button primary Li batteries, are used worldwide in computers, communications and consumer electronics products. However, there are several dangerous issues that occur during the manufacture, shipping, and storage of Li batteries. This study analyzes the material flow of lithium batteries and their valuable heavy metals in Taiwan for the year 2006 by material flow analysis. According to data from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration, Taiwan External Trade Development Council, Bureau of Foreign Trade, Directorate General of Customs, and the Li batteries manufactures/importers/exporters. It was found that 2,952,696 kg of Li batteries was input into Taiwan for the year 2006, including 2,256,501 kg of imported Li batteries and 696,195 kg of stock Li batteries in 2005. In addition, 1,113,867 and 572,215 kg of Li batteries was domestically produced and sold abroad, revealing that 3,494,348 kg of different types of Li batteries was sold in Taiwan. Of these domestically sold batteries, 504,663 and 146,557 kg were treated domestically and abroad. Thus, a total of 2,843,128 kg of Li batteries was stored by individual/industry users or illegally disposed. In addition, it was also observed that 2,120,682 kg of heavy metals contained in Li batteries, including Ni, Co, Al, Cu and Ni, was accumulated in Taiwan, with a recycled value of 38.8 million USD. These results suggest that these heavy metals should be recovered by suitable collection, recycling and reuse procedures

  12. Metal flows of the circumgalactic medium, and the metal budget in galactic haloes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muratov, Alexander L.; Kereš, Dušan; Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André; Hopkins, Philip F.; Ma, Xiangcheng; Anglés-Alcázar, Daniel; Chan, T. K.; Torrey, Paul; Hafen, Zachary H.; Quataert, Eliot; Murray, Norman

    2017-07-01

    We present an analysis of the flow of metals through the circumgalactic medium (CGM) in the Feedback in Realistic Environments (FIRE) simulations of galaxy formation, ranging from isolated dwarfs to L* galaxies. We find that nearly all metals produced in high-redshift galaxies are carried out in winds that reach 0.25Rvir. When measured at 0.25Rvir the metallicity of outflows is slightly higher than the interstellar medium (ISM) metallicity. Many metals thus reside in the CGM. Cooling and recycling from this reservoir determine the metal budget in the ISM. The outflowing metal flux decreases by a factor of ˜2-5 between 0.25Rvir and Rvir. Furthermore, outflow metallicity is typically lower at Rvir owing to dilution of the remaining outflow by metal-poor material swept up from the CGM. The inflow metallicity at Rvir is generally low, but outflow and inflow metallicities are similar in the inner halo. At low redshift, massive galaxies no longer generate outflows that reach the CGM, causing a divergence in CGM and ISM metallicity. Dwarf galaxies continue to generate outflows, although they preferentially retain metal ejecta. In all but the least massive galaxy considered, a majority of the metals are within the halo at z = 0. We measure the fraction of metals in CGM, ISM and stars, and quantify the thermal state of CGM metals in each halo. The total amount of metals in the low-redshift CGM of two simulated L* galaxies is consistent with estimates from the Cosmic Origin Spectrograph haloes survey, while for the other two it appears to be lower.

  13. Rare earth element recycling from waste nickel-metal hydride batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Xiuli; Zhang, Junwei; Fang, Xihui

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Leaching kinetics of REEs has rarely been reported. • A new method, including hydrochloric acid leaching and oxalic acid precipitation, was proposed. • REEs recovery rate of 95.16% and pure rare earth oxides of 99% were obtained. • Leaching process was controlled by chemical reaction. • The kinetic equation was determined. - Abstract: With an increase in number of waste nickel-metal hydride batteries, and because of the importance of rare earth elements, the recycling of rare earth elements is becoming increasingly important. In this paper, we investigate the effects of temperature, hydrochloric acid concentration, and leaching time to optimize leaching conditions and determine leach kinetics. The results indicate that an increase in temperature, hydrochloric acid concentration, and leaching time enhance the leaching rate of rare earth elements. A maximum rare earth elements recovery of 95.16% was achieved at optimal leaching conditions of 70 °C, solid/liquid ratio of 1:10, 20% hydrochloric acid concentration, −74 μm particle size, and 100 min leaching time. The experimental data were best fitted by a chemical reaction-controlled model. The activation energy was 43.98 kJ/mol and the reaction order for hydrochloric acid concentration was 0.64. The kinetic equation for the leaching process was found to be: 1−(1−x) 1/3 =A/ρr 0 [HCl] 0.64 exp((−439,800)/(8.314T) )t. After leaching and filtration, by adding saturated oxalic solution to the filtrate, rare earth element oxalates were obtained. After removing impurities by adding ammonia, filtering, washing with dilute hydrochloric acid, and calcining at 810 °C, a final product of 99% pure rare earth oxides was obtained

  14. Reduction of metal oxides in metal carbide fusion superheated with plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hedai, L

    1981-01-01

    A significant part of metals is capable of binding a high quantity of carbon in the form of carbide. The carbide fusion produced as a result of smelting and superheating, metal carbides with the use of plasma might be a medium to be utilized for the reduction of different metal oxides, whilst also the original carbide structure of the metal carbides will be reduced to metallic structure. The experiments conducted by making use of plasma equipment, of 20, 55 and 100 kW performances are described. On the basis of the results of the experiments performed, the following statements are to be made. The oxide reductions taking place in the metal carbide fusion might also be carried out in open-hearth furnaces, because reducing atmosphere is not necessitated during this procedure. The quantity of energy required is basically defined by the energy needed for smelting and superheating the metal carbide. The method for producing the metal described may be mainly applied for the allied production of high-purity steels as well as for that of ferro-alloys.

  15. Metal artifact reduction method using metal streaks image subtraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pua, Rizza D.; Cho, Seung Ryong

    2014-01-01

    Many studies have been dedicated for metal artifact reduction (MAR); however, the methods are successful to varying degrees depending on situations. Sinogram in-painting, filtering, iterative method are some of the major categories of MAR. Each has its own merits and weaknesses. A combination of these methods or hybrid methods have also been developed to make use of the different benefits of two techniques and minimize the unfavorable results. Our method focuses on the in-paitning approach and a hybrid MAR described by Xia et al. Although in-painting scheme is an effective technique in reducing the primary metal artifacts, a major drawback is the reintroduction of new artifacts that can be caused by an inaccurate interpolation process. Furthermore, combining the segmented metal image to the corrected nonmetal image in the final step of a conventional inpainting approach causes an issue of incorrect metal pixel values. Our proposed method begins with a sinogram in-painting approach and ends with an image-based metal artifact reduction scheme. This work provides a simple, yet effective solution for reducing metal artifacts and acquiring the original metal pixel information. The proposed method demonstrated its effectiveness in a simulation setting. The proposed method showed image quality that is comparable to the standard MAR; however, quantitatively more accurate than the standard MAR

  16. Do constructed wetlands remove metals or increase metal bioavailability?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xiaoyu; Mills, Gary L

    2018-07-15

    The H-02 wetland was constructed to treat building process water and storm runoff water from the Tritium Processing Facility on the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (Aiken, SC). Monthly monitoring of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations and water quality parameters in surface waters continued from 2014 to 2016. Metal speciation was modeled at each sampling occasion. Total Cu and Zn concentrations released to the effluent stream were below the NPDES limit, and the average removal efficiency was 65.9% for Cu and 71.1% for Zn. The metal-removal processes were found out to be seasonally regulated by sulfur cycling indicated by laboratory and model results. High temperature, adequate labile organic matter, and anaerobic conditions during the warm months (February to August) favored sulfate reduction that produced sulfide minerals to significantly remove metals. However, the dominant reaction in sulfur cycling shifted to sulfide oxidation during the cool months (September to next March). High concentrations of metal-organic complexes were observed, especially colloidal complexes of metal and fulvic acid (FA), demonstrating adsorption to organic matter became the primary process for metal removal. Meanwhile, the accumulation of metal-FA complexes in the wetland system will cause negative effects to the surrounding environment as they are biologically reactive, highly bioavailable, and can be easily taken up and transferred to ecosystems by trophic exchange. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Impact of repeated single-metal and multi-metal pollution events on soil quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burges, Aritz; Epelde, Lur; Garbisu, Carlos

    2015-02-01

    Most frequently, soil metal pollution results from the occurrence of repeated single-metal and, above all, multi-metal pollution events, with concomitant adverse consequences for soil quality. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the impact of repeated single-metal and multi-metal (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn) pollution events on soil quality, as reflected by the values of a variety of soil microbial parameters with potential as bioindicators of soil functioning. Specifically, parameters of microbial activity (potentially mineralizable nitrogen, β-glucosidase and acid phosphatase activity) and biomass (fungal and bacterial gene abundance by RT-qPCR) were determined, in the artificially metal-polluted soil samples, at regular intervals over a period of 26 weeks. Similarly, we studied the evolution over time of CaCl2-extractable metal fractions, in order to estimate metal bioavailability in soil. Different metals showed different values of bioavailability and relative bioavailability ([metal]bio/[metal]tot) in soil throughout the experiment, under both repeated single-metal and multi-metal pollution events. Both repeated Zn-pollution and multi-metal pollution events led to a significant reduction in the values of acid phosphatase activity, and bacterial and fungal gene abundance, reflecting the negative impact of these repeated events on soil microbial activity and biomass, and, hence, soil quality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. A Flexible Solid Electrolyte Interphase Layer for Long-Life Lithium Metal Anodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Nian-Wu; Shi, Yang; Yin, Ya-Xia; Zeng, Xian-Xiang; Li, Jin-Yi; Li, Cong-Ju; Wan, Li-Jun; Wen, Rui; Guo, Yu-Guo

    2018-02-05

    Lithium (Li) metal is a promising anode material for high-energy density batteries. However, the unstable and static solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) can be destroyed by the dynamic Li plating/stripping behavior on the Li anode surface, leading to side reactions and Li dendrites growth. Herein, we design a smart Li polyacrylic acid (LiPAA) SEI layer high elasticity to address the dynamic Li plating/stripping processes by self-adapting interface regulation, which is demonstrated by in situ AFM. With the high binding ability and excellent stability of the LiPAA polymer, the smart SEI can significantly reduce the side reactions and improve battery safety markedly. Stable cycling of 700 h is achieved in the LiPAA-Li/LiPAA-Li symmetrical cell. The innovative strategy of self-adapting SEI design is broadly applicable, providing opportunities for use in Li metal anodes. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Metal-core@metal oxide-shell nanomaterials for gas-sensing applications: a review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mirzaei, A.; Janghorban, K.; Hashemi, B. [Shiraz University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Neri, G., E-mail: gneri@unime.it [University of Messina, Department of Electronic Engineering, Chemistry and Industrial Engineering (Italy)

    2015-09-15

    With an ever-increasing number of applications in many advanced fields, gas sensors are becoming indispensable devices in our daily life. Among different types of gas sensors, conductometric metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gas sensors are found to be the most appealing for advanced applications in the automotive, biomedical, environmental, and safety sectors because of the their high sensitivity, reduced size, and low cost. To improve their sensing characteristics, new metal oxide-based nanostructures have thus been proposed in recent years as sensing materials. In this review, we extensively review gas-sensing properties of core@ shell nanocomposites in which metals as the core and metal oxides as the shell structure, both of nanometer sizes, are assembled into a single metal@metal oxide core–shell. These nanostructures not only combine the properties of both noble metals and metal oxides, but also bring unique synergetic functions in comparison with single-component materials. Up-dated achievements in the synthesis and characterization of metal@metal oxide core–shell nanostructures as well as their use in MOS sensors are here reported with the main objective of providing an overview about their gas-sensing properties.

  20. Electroplating condition for Ni nanocrystalline on metal (Ni and Cu) plates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Keun Yung; Uhm, Young Rang; Son, Kwang Jae; Shim, Young Ho; Choi, Sun Ju [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-10-15

    Ni 63, a beta radiation source, is prepared by the electrical deposition of radioactive Ni 63 ions on a thin non radioactive nickel foil or Cu plate. Given a half life of 100 years, a nuclear battery will still produce half of its initial starting power after 100 years. A speck of a radioisotope like nickel 63, for example, contains enough energy to power a nano nuclear battery for decades, and to do so safely. Ni 63 plating is similar to other electroplating processes that employ soluble metal anodes. It requires the passage of a direct current between two electrodes that are immersed in a conductive, aqueous solution of nickel salts. The charged Ni ions are formed by sulfate, sulfamate, chloride, and a Watts bath. However, the charged Ni 63 ions are formed by dissolving metal Ni 63. To established the coating condition of Ni 63, non radioactive metal Ni particles are dissolved an acid solution and electroplated on a Ni sheet. The nickel plating process is used extensively for decorative, engineering and electro forming purposes because the appearance and other properties of electrodeposited nickel can be varied over a wide range by controlling the composition and operating parameters of the plating solution. A continuous increase in the grain size versus current density has also been recognized in the direct current electrodeposition of nickel coating. On the other hand, A runa et al. reported that the current density has no significant effect on the grain size of nickel electro deposits. A review of the literature shows that saccharin has often been added to a nickel plating bath since the 1980s to improve the ductility and brightness, and in later periods as a grain refiner agent. In the present paper, not only the preparation of a Ni plating solution prepared by dissolving metal particles, but also an optimization of the deposition conditions, such as the current density, saccharin concentration in the bath, and different metal substrates were investigated

  1. Electroplating condition for Ni nanocrystalline on metal (Ni and Cu) plates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Keun Yung; Uhm, Young Rang; Son, Kwang Jae; Shim, Young Ho; Choi, Sun Ju

    2012-01-01

    Ni 63, a beta radiation source, is prepared by the electrical deposition of radioactive Ni 63 ions on a thin non radioactive nickel foil or Cu plate. Given a half life of 100 years, a nuclear battery will still produce half of its initial starting power after 100 years. A speck of a radioisotope like nickel 63, for example, contains enough energy to power a nano nuclear battery for decades, and to do so safely. Ni 63 plating is similar to other electroplating processes that employ soluble metal anodes. It requires the passage of a direct current between two electrodes that are immersed in a conductive, aqueous solution of nickel salts. The charged Ni ions are formed by sulfate, sulfamate, chloride, and a Watts bath. However, the charged Ni 63 ions are formed by dissolving metal Ni 63. To established the coating condition of Ni 63, non radioactive metal Ni particles are dissolved an acid solution and electroplated on a Ni sheet. The nickel plating process is used extensively for decorative, engineering and electro forming purposes because the appearance and other properties of electrodeposited nickel can be varied over a wide range by controlling the composition and operating parameters of the plating solution. A continuous increase in the grain size versus current density has also been recognized in the direct current electrodeposition of nickel coating. On the other hand, A runa et al. reported that the current density has no significant effect on the grain size of nickel electro deposits. A review of the literature shows that saccharin has often been added to a nickel plating bath since the 1980s to improve the ductility and brightness, and in later periods as a grain refiner agent. In the present paper, not only the preparation of a Ni plating solution prepared by dissolving metal particles, but also an optimization of the deposition conditions, such as the current density, saccharin concentration in the bath, and different metal substrates were investigated

  2. Magnesium stannide as a high-capacity anode for magnesium-ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Dan-Thien; Song, Seung-Wan

    2017-11-01

    Driven by the limited global resources of lithium, magnesium metal batteries are considered as potential energy storage systems. The battery chemistry of magnesium metal anode, however, limits the selection of electrolytes, cathode materials and working temperature, making the realization of magnesium metal batteries complicated. Herein, we report the development of a new magnesium-insertion anode, magnesium stannide (Mg2Sn), and demonstrate reversible electrochemical Mg2+-extraction and insertion of Mg2Sn anode at 0.2 V versus Mg, delivering discharge capacity of 270 mAhg-1 in a half-cell with the electrolyte of PhMgCl/THF and enabling of room temperature magnesium-ion batteries with Mg2Sn anode combined with Mg-free oxide cathode and conventional-type electrolyte of Mg(TFSI)2/diglyme. The combination of Mg2Sn anode with various cathodes and electrolytes holds great promise for enabling room temperature magnesium-ion batteries.

  3. Incorporation of metal bioavailability into regulatory frameworks-metal exposure in water and sediment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahlf, Wolfgang [Inst. of Environmental Tech. and Energy Economics, TUHH, Hamburg (Germany); Drost, Wiebke [Umweltpruefung Chemikalien IV, Umweltbundesamt, Dessau (Germany); Heise, Susanne [Dept. of Life Sciences, HAW, Hamburg (Germany)

    2009-10-15

    Background, aim, and scope The cause for this position paper is the impression that risk assessors consider primarily the concentration of free metal ions dissolved in solution controlling metal bioavailability in aquatic systems. Aiming at a more realistic risk assessment of metals, bioavailability has to be discussed under the scope of main uptake routes of metals to organisms. Materials and methods On the basis of a review on the literature relating to bioavailability approaches, this work discusses the incorporation of metal bioavailability into the risk assessment of metals in the context of metal exposure. Results The biotic ligand model (BLM) and the concept of sulfide bound metals described by the ratio of simultaneously extracted metals and acid volatile sulfide concept (AVS) have been developed to consider the bioavailability of metals. Both approaches assume that the free ion concentration is the most relevant exposure pathway. However, apart from geochemical conditions, which control free metal concentration, bioavailability is additionally a result of contaminant/particle interaction and of organisms' activity. Asking for the relevant exposure pathways for inorganic metals to organisms, the compartments' water and sediment have been evaluated and also the importance of contaminated food. (orig.)

  4. Literature survey on metal waste form for metallic waste from electrorefiners for the electrometallurgical treatment of spent metallic fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishimura, Tomohiro

    2003-01-01

    This report summarizes the recent results of the metal waste form development activities at the Argonne National Laboratory in the USA for high-level radioactive metallic waste (stainless-steel (SS) cladding hulls, zirconium (Zr), noble-metal fission products (NMFPs), etc.) from electrorefiners for the electrometallurgical treatment of spent metallic fuels. Their main results are as follows: (1) SS- 15 wt.% Zr- ∼4 wt.% NMFPs alloy was selected as the metal waste form, (2) metallurgical data, properties, long-term corrosion data, etc. of the alloy have been collected, (3) 10-kg ingots have been produced in hot tests and a 60-kg production machine is under development. The following research should be made to show the feasibility of the metal waste form in Japan: (1) degradation assessment of the metal waste form in Japanese geological repository environments, and (2) clarification of the maximum allowable contents of NMFPs. (author)

  5. PREPARATION OF METAL OXIDE POWDERS FROM METAL LOADED VERSATIC ACID

    OpenAIRE

    KAKIHATA, Takayuki; USAMI, Kensuke; YAMAMOTO, Hideki; SHIBATA, Junji

    1998-01-01

    A production process for metal oxide powders was developed using a solvent extraction method. Versatic Acid 10 and D2EHPA solutions containing copper, zinc and nickel were used for a precipitation-stripping process, where oxalic acid was added to the solution as a precipitation reagent.Copper, zinc and nickel oxalates were easily formed in an aqueous phase, and 99.9% of precipitation was obtained for each metal during this process. These metal oxalates were easily converted to metal oxides by...

  6. Evaluation of complexing agents and column temperature in ion chromatographic separation of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and transition metals ion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kelkar, Anoop; Pandey, Ashish; Name, Anil B.; Das, D.K.; Behere, P.G.; Mohd Afzal

    2015-01-01

    The aim of ion chromatography method development is the resolution of all metal ions of interests. Resolution can be improved by changing the selectivity. Selectivity in chromatography can be altered by changes in mobile phase (eg eluent type, eluent strength) or through changes in stationary phase. Temperature has been used in altering the selectivity of particularly in reversed phase liquid chromatography and ion exchange chromatography. Present paper describe the retention behaviour of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and transition metal ions on a silica based carboxylate function group containing analyte column. Alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and transition metal ions were detected by ion conductivity and UV-VIS detectors respectively

  7. Acetabular bone density and metal ions after metal-on-metal versus metal-on-polyethylene total hip arthroplasty; short-term results

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zijlstra, Wierd P.; van der Veen, Hugo C.; van den Akker-Scheek, Inge; Zee, Mark J. M.; Bulstra, Sjoerd K.; van Raay, Jos J. A. M.

    Information on periprosthetic acetabular bone density is lacking for metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasties. These bearings use cobalt-chromium instead of titanium acetabular components, which could lead to stress shielding and hence periprosthetic bone loss. Cobalt and chromium ions have

  8. Conducting metal oxide and metal nitride nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiSalvo, Jr., Francis J.; Subban, Chinmayee V.

    2017-12-26

    Conducting metal oxide and nitride nanoparticles that can be used in fuel cell applications. The metal oxide nanoparticles are comprised of for example, titanium, niobium, tantalum, tungsten and combinations thereof. The metal nitride nanoparticles are comprised of, for example, titanium, niobium, tantalum, tungsten, zirconium, and combinations thereof. The nanoparticles can be sintered to provide conducting porous agglomerates of the nanoparticles which can be used as a catalyst support in fuel cell applications. Further, platinum nanoparticles, for example, can be deposited on the agglomerates to provide a material that can be used as both an anode and a cathode catalyst support in a fuel cell.

  9. Metal and nutrient dynamics in decomposing tree litter on a metal contaminated site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Nevel, Lotte; Mertens, Jan; Demey, Andreas; De Schrijver, An; De Neve, Stefaan; Tack, Filip M.G.; Verheyen, Kris

    2014-01-01

    In a forest on sandy, metal polluted soil, we examined effects of six tree species on litter decomposition rates and accompanied changes in metal (Cd, Zn) and nutrient (base cations, N, C) amounts. Decomposition dynamics were studied by means of a litterbag experiment lasting for 30 months. The decomposition peak occurred within the first year for all tree species, except for aspen. During litter decomposition, high metal litter types released part of their accumulated metals, whereas low metal litter types were characterized by a metal enrichment. Base cations, N and C were released from all litter types. Metal release from contaminated litter might involve risks for metal dispersion towards the soil. On the other hand, metal enrichment of uncontaminated litter may be ecologically relevant as it can be easily transported or serve as food source. - Highlights: • Litter decomposition peak occurred within the first year for all tree species, except for aspen. • Base cations, N and C were released from all litter types during decomposition. • Cd and Zn were released from the high metal litter types. • Low metal litter types were characterized by a net Cd and Zn enrichment. • Metal and nutrient releases were reflected in topsoil characteristics. - Litter decomposition rates, as well as enrichment and release dynamics of metals and nutrients in decomposing litter were divergent under the different tree species

  10. Battery Technology Stores Clean Energy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-01-01

    Headquartered in Fremont, California, Deeya Energy Inc. is now bringing its flow batteries to commercial customers around the world after working with former Marshall Space Flight Center scientist, Lawrence Thaller. Deeya's liquid-cell batteries have higher power capability than Thaller's original design, are less expensive than lead-acid batteries, are a clean energy alternative, and are 10 to 20 times less expensive than nickel-metal hydride batteries, lithium-ion batteries, and fuel cell options.

  11. Studies on the optimization of deformation processed metal metal matrix composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ellis, Tim W. [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    1994-01-04

    A methodology for the production of deformation processed metal metal matrix composites from hyper-eutectic copper-chromium alloys was developed. This methodology was derived from a basic study of the precipitation phenomena in these alloys encompassing evaluation of microstructural, electrical, and mechanical properties. The methodology developed produces material with a superior combination of electrical and mechanical properties compared to those presently available in commercial alloys. New and novel alloying procedures were investigated to extend the range of production methods available for these material. These studies focused on the use of High Pressure Gas Atomization and the development of new containment technologies for the liquid alloy. This allowed the production of alloys with a much more refined starting microstructure and lower contamination than available by other methods. The knowledge gained in the previous studies was used to develop two completely new families of deformation processed metal metal matrix composites. These composites are based on immissible alloys with yttrium and magnesium matrices and refractory metal reinforcement. This work extends the physical property range available in deformation processed metal metal matrix composites. Additionally, it also represents new ways to apply these metals in engineering applications.

  12. Nanoporous metal-carbon composite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Worsley, Marcus A.; Satcher, Joe; Kucheyev, Sergei; Charnvanichborikarn, Supakit; Colvin, Jeffrey; Felter, Thomas; Kim, Sangil; Merrill, Matthew; Orme, Christine

    2017-12-19

    Described here is a metal-carbon composite, comprising (a) a porous three-dimensional scaffold comprising one or more of carbon nanotubes, graphene and graphene oxide, and (b) metal nanoparticles disposed on said porous scaffold, wherein the metal-carbon composite has a density of 1 g/cm.sup.3 or less, and wherein the metal nanoparticles account for 1 wt. % or more of the metal-carbon composite. Also described are methods for making the metal-carbon composite.

  13. The Sounds of Metal

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grund, Cynthia M.

    2015-01-01

    Two, I propose that this framework allows for at least a theoretical distinction between the way in which extreme metal – e.g. black metal, doom metal, funeral doom metal, death metal – relates to its sound as music and the way in which much other music may be conceived of as being constituted...

  14. The rechargeable aluminum-ion battery

    KAUST Repository

    Jayaprakash, N.; Das, S. K.; Archer, L. A.

    2011-01-01

    We report a novel aluminium-ion rechargeable battery comprised of an electrolyte containing AlCl3 in the ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, and a V2O5 nano-wire cathode against an aluminium metal anode. The battery delivered a

  15. Method and apparatus for dissociating metals from metal compounds extracted into supercritical fluids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wai, Chien M.; Hunt, Fred H.; Smart, Neil G.; Lin, Yuehe

    2000-01-01

    A method for dissociating metal-ligand complexes in a supercritical fluid by treating the metal-ligand complex with heat and/or reducing or oxidizing agents is described. Once the metal-ligand complex is dissociated, the resulting metal and/or metal oxide form fine particles of substantially uniform size. In preferred embodiments, the solvent is supercritical carbon dioxide and the ligand is a .beta.-diketone such as hexafluoroacetylacetone or dibutyldiacetate. In other preferred embodiments, the metals in the metal-ligand complex are copper, silver, gold, tungsten, titanium, tantalum, tin, or mixtures thereof. In preferred embodiments, the reducing agent is hydrogen. The method provides an efficient process for dissociating metal-ligand complexes and produces easily-collected metal particles free from hydrocarbon solvent impurities. The ligand and the supercritical fluid can be regenerated to provide an economic, efficient process.

  16. Topotactic Metal-Insulator Transition in Epitaxial SrFeO x Thin Films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khare, Amit; Shin, Dongwon; Yoo, Tae Sup; Kim, Minu; Kang, Tae Dong

    2017-01-01

    Multivalent transition metal oxides provide fascinating and rich physics related to oxygen stoichiometry. In particular, the adoptability of various valence states of transition metals enables perovskite oxides to display mixed (oxygen) ionic and electronic conduction and catalytic activity useful in many practical applications, including solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), rechargeable batteries, gas sensors, and memristive devices. For proper realization of the ionic conduction and catalytic activity, it is essential to understand the reversible oxidation and reduction process, which is governed by oxygen storage/release steps in oxides. Topotactic phase transformation facilitates the redox process in perovskites with specific oxygen vacancy ordering by largely varying the oxygen concentration of a material without losing the lattice framework. The concentration and diffusion of oxide ions (O 2– ), the valence state of the transition metal cations, and the thermodynamic structural integrity together provide fundamental understanding and ways to explicitly control the redox reaction.[6] In addition, it offers an attractive route for tuning the emergent physical properties of transition metal oxides, via strong coupling between the crystal lattice and electronic structure.

  17. Metallic nanomesh

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ren, Zhifeng; Sun, Tianyi; Guo, Chuanfei

    2018-02-20

    A transparent flexible nanomesh having at least one conductive element and sheet resistance less than 300.OMEGA./.quadrature. when stretched to a strain of 200% in at least one direction. The nanomesh is formed by depositing a sacrificial film, depositing, etching, and oxidizing a first metal layer on the film, etching the sacrificial film, depositing a second metal layer, and removing the first metal layer to form a nanomesh on the substrate.

  18. Soil heavy metals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sherameti, Irena [Jena Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Allgemeine Botanik und Pflanzenphysiologie; Varma, Ajit (eds.) [Amity Univ., Uttar Pradesh (India). Amity Inst. of Microbial Technology; Amity Science, Technology and Innovation Foundation, Noida, UP (India)

    2010-07-01

    Human activities have dramatically changed the composition and organisation of soils. Industrial and urban wastes, agricultural application and also mining activities resulted in an increased concentration of heavy metals in soils. How plants and soil microorganisms cope with this situation and the sophisticated techniques developed for survival in contaminated soils is discussed in this volume. The topics presented include: the general role of heavy metals in biological soil systems; the relation of inorganic and organic pollutions; heavy metal, salt tolerance and combined effects with salinity; effects on abuscular mycorrhizal and on saprophytic soil fungi; heavy metal resistance by streptomycetes; trace element determination of environmental samples; the use of microbiological communities as indicators; phytostabilization of lead polluted sites by native plants; effects of soil earthworms on removal of heavy metals and the remediation of heavy metal contaminated tropical land. (orig.)

  19. Peroxotitanates for Biodelivery of Metals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hobbs, David; Elvington, M.

    2009-02-11

    Metal-based drugs are largely undeveloped in pharmacology. One limiting factor is the systemic toxicity of metal-based compounds. A solid-phase, sequestratable delivery agent for local delivery of metals could reduce systemic toxicity, facilitating new drug development in this nascent area. Amorphous peroxotitanates (APT) are ion exchange materials with high affinity for several heavy metal ions, and have been proposed to deliver or sequester metal ions in biological contexts. In the current study, we tested a hypothesis that APT are able to deliver metals or metal compounds to cells. We exposed fibroblasts (L929) or monocytes (THP1) to metal-APT materials for 72 h in vitro, then measured cellular mitochondrial activity (SDH-MTT method) to assess the biological impact of the metal-APT materials vs. metals or APT alone. APT alone did not significantly affect cellular mitochondrial activity, but all metal-APT materials suppressed the mitochondrial activity of fibroblasts (by 30-65% of controls). The concentration of metal-APT materials required to suppress cellular mitochondrial activity was below that required for metals alone, suggesting that simple extracellular release of the metals from the metal-APT materials was not the primary mechanism of mitochondrial suppression. In contrast to fibroblasts, no metal-APT material had a measurable effect on THP1 monocyte mitochondrial activity, despite potent suppression by metals alone. This latter result suggested that 'biodelivery' by metal-APT materials may be cell type-specific. Therefore, it appears that APT are plausible solid phase delivery agents of metals or metal compounds to some types of cells for potential therapeutic effect.

  20. Purification of uranium metal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Kenji; Shikama, Tatsuo; Ochiai, Akira.

    1993-01-01

    We developed the system for purifying uranium metal and its metallic compounds and for growing highly pure uranium compounds to study their intrinsic physical properties. Uranium metal was zone refined under low contamination conditions as far as possible. The degree of the purity of uranium metal was examined by the conventional electrical resistivity measurement and by the chemical analysis using the inductive coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP). The results show that some metallic impurities evaporated by the r.f. heating and other usual metallic impurities moved to the end of a rod with a molten zone. Therefore, we conclude that the zone refining technique is much effective to the removal of metallic impurities and we obtained high purified uranium metal of 99.99% up with regarding to metallic impurities. The maximum residual resistivity ratio, the r.r.r., so far obtained was about 17-20. Using the purified uranium, we are attempting to grow a highly pure uranium-titanium single crystals. (author)

  1. Lanthanum Nitrate As Electrolyte Additive To Stabilize the Surface Morphology of Lithium Anode for Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Sheng; Li, Guo-Ran; Gao, Xue-Ping

    2016-03-01

    Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery is regarded as one of the most promising candidates beyond conventional lithium ion batteries. However, the instability of the metallic lithium anode during lithium electrochemical dissolution/deposition is still a major barrier for the practical application of Li-S battery. In this work, lanthanum nitrate, as electrolyte additive, is introduced into Li-S battery to stabilize the surface of lithium anode. By introducing lanthanum nitrate into electrolyte, a composite passivation film of lanthanum/lithium sulfides can be formed on metallic lithium anode, which is beneficial to decrease the reducibility of metallic lithium and slow down the electrochemical dissolution/deposition reaction on lithium anode for stabilizing the surface morphology of metallic Li anode in lithium-sulfur battery. Meanwhile, the cycle stability of the fabricated Li-S cell is improved by introducing lanthanum nitrate into electrolyte. Apparently, lanthanum nitrate is an effective additive for the protection of lithium anode and the cycling stability of Li-S battery.

  2. Magneto-ionic phase control in a quasi-layered donor/acceptor metal-organic framework by means of a Li-ion battery system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taniguchi, Kouji; Narushima, Keisuke; Yamagishi, Kayo; Shito, Nanami; Kosaka, Wataru; Miyasaka, Hitoshi

    2017-06-01

    Electrical magnetism control is realized in a Li-ion battery system through a redox reaction involving ion migrations; “magneto-ionic control”. A quasi-layered metal-organic framework compound with a cross-linked π-conjugated/unconjugated one-dimensional chain motifs composed of electron-donor/acceptor units is developed as the cathode material. A change in magnetic phase from paramagnetic to ferrimagnetic is demonstrated by means of electron-filling control for the acceptor units via insertion of Li+-ions into pores in the material. The transition temperature is as high as that expected for highly π-conjugated layered systems, indicating an extension of π-conjugated exchange paths by rearranging coordination bonds in the first discharge process.

  3. Sodium-Metal-Halide Battery Energy Storage for DoD Installations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-24

    electrical equipment for AC interface PDE Pacific Data Electric V&F Voltage and Frequency, power quality measurements VA Volt-Amp, units for apparent...Metal-Halide technology could operate at extreme ambient temperatures, but the early prototypes did struggle with managing sand ingress.  The...peak power Not tested 3. PV smoothing Measure improvement in power quality Power meter measurements Power quality improvements 15-min

  4. Single and combined metal contamination in coastal environments in China: current status and potential ecological risk evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manzoor, Romana; Zhang, Tingwan; Zhang, Xuejiao; Wang, Min; Pan, Jin-Fen; Wang, Zhumei; Zhang, Bo

    2018-01-01

    With the development of industrialization and urbanization, metal and metalloid pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems in China. Current contamination status of metals and metalloid and their potential ecological risks along China's coasts were reviewed in the present paper by a comprehensive study on metal contents in marine waters and sediments in the past few decades. The priority metals/metalloid cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As), which were the target elements of the designated project "Comprehensive Prevention and Control of Heavy Metal Pollution" issued by the Chinese government in 2011, were selected considering their high toxicity, persistence, and prevalent existence in coastal environment. Commonly used environmental quality evaluation methods for single and combined metals were compared, and we accordingly suggest the comprehensive approach of joint utilization of the Enrichment Factor and Effect Range Median combined with Pollution Load Index and Mean Effect Range Median Quotient (EEPME); this battery of guidelines may provide consistent, internationally comparable, and accurate understanding of the environment pollution status of combined metals/metalloid and their potential ecological risk.

  5. Corrosion of valve metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Draley, J.E.

    1976-01-01

    A general survey related to the corrosion of valve metals or film-forming metals. The way these metals corrode with some general examples is described. Valve metals form relatively perfect oxide films with little breakdown or leakage when anodized

  6. Metal Nitrides for Plasmonic Applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Naik, Gururaj V.; Schroeder, Jeremy; Guler, Urcan

    2012-01-01

    Metal nitrides as alternatives to metals such as gold could offer many advantages when used as plasmonic material. We show that transition metal nitrides can replace metals providing equally good optical performance for many plasmonic applications.......Metal nitrides as alternatives to metals such as gold could offer many advantages when used as plasmonic material. We show that transition metal nitrides can replace metals providing equally good optical performance for many plasmonic applications....

  7. Metallic DFB lasers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marell, M.J.H.; Nötzel, R.; Smit, M.K.; Hill, M.T.; Pozo, J.; Mortensen, M.; Urbach, P.; Leijtens, X.; Yousefi, M.

    2010-01-01

    In this paper we present our latest results on the design, fabrication and characterization of metal coated DFB lasers. These devices are based on a specialform of the metal-insulator-metal waveguides, which support plasmon gap modes. The distributed feedback provides control over the laser ~

  8. Metal decontamination for waste minimization using liquid metal refining technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joyce, E.L. Jr.; Lally, B.; Ozturk, B.; Fruehan, R.J.

    1993-01-01

    The current Department of Energy Mixed Waste Treatment Project flowsheet indicates that no conventional technology, other than surface decontamination, exists for metal processing. Current Department of Energy guidelines require retrievable storage of all metallic wastes containing transuranic elements above a certain concentration. This project is in support of the National Mixed Low Level Waste Treatment Program. Because of the high cost of disposal, it is important to develop an effective decontamination and volume reduction method for low-level contaminated metals. It is important to be able to decontaminate complex shapes where surfaces are hidden or inaccessible to surface decontamination processes and destruction of organic contamination. These goals can be achieved by adapting commercial metal refining processes to handle radioactive and organic contaminated metal. The radioactive components are concentrated in the slag, which is subsequently vitrified; hazardous organics are destroyed by the intense heat of the bath. The metal, after having been melted and purified, could be recycled for use within the DOE complex. In this project, we evaluated current state-of-the-art technologies for metal refining, with special reference to the removal of radioactive contaminants and the destruction of hazardous organics. This evaluation was based on literature reports, industrial experience, plant visits, thermodynamic calculations, and engineering aspects of the various processes. The key issues addressed included radioactive partitioning between the metal and slag phases, minimization of secondary wastes, operability of the process subject to widely varying feed chemistry, and the ability to seal the candidate process to prevent the release of hazardous species

  9. Electrical transport through a metal-molecule-metal junction; Transport electrique a travers une jonction metal-molecule-metal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kergueris, Ch

    1998-12-17

    We investigate the electrical transport through a very few molecules connected to metallic electrodes at room temperature. First, the state of the art in molecular electronics is outlined. We present the most convincing molecular devices reported so far in the literature and the theoretical tools available to analyze the electron transport mechanism through a molecular junction. Second, we describe the use of mechanically controllable break junctions to investigate the electron transport properties through a metal-molecule-metal junction. Two kindsof molecules were adsorbed on the two facing gold electrodes, dodecane-thiol (DT) and bis-thiol-ter-thiophene ({alpha},{omega} T3), that are basically expected to behave as an insulator and as a molecular wire, respectively. In the latter case, we study the chemical reactivity of the molecule and show that {alpha},{omega} T3 is chemically adsorbed on gold electrodes. Current-voltage characteristics of the junction were observed at room temperature. The Gold-DT-Gold junction behaves as a simple metal-insulator-metal junction. On the other hand, the electron transport through a Gold-{alpha},{omega} T3-Gold junction explicitly involves the electronic structure of the molecule which gives rise to step-like features in the current-voltage characteristics. The measured zero bias conductance is interpreted using the scattering theory. At high bias, we discuss two different models: a coherent model where the electron has no time to be completely re-localized in the molecule and a sequential model where the electron is localized in the molecule during the transfer. Finally, we show that the mechanical action of decreasing the inter-electrodes spacing can be used to induce a strong modification of the current-voltage characteristics. (author)

  10. First Principles Investigation of Zinc-anode Dissolution in Zinc-air Batteries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Siahrostami, Samira; Tripkovic, Vladimir; Lundgård, Keld Troen

    2013-01-01

    With surging interest in high energy density batteries, much attention has recently been devoted to metal-air batteries. The zinc-air battery has been known for more than hundred years and is commercially available as a primary battery, but recharging has remained elusive; in part because...... the fundamental mechanisms still remain to be fully understood. Here, we present a density functional theory investigation of the zinc dissolution (oxidation) on the anode side in the zinc-air battery. Two models are envisaged, the most stable (0001) surface and a kink surface. The kink model proves to be more....... The applied methodology provides new insight into computational modelling and design of secondary metal-air batteries....

  11. Nanochemistry of metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sergeev, Gleb B

    2001-01-01

    The results of studies on the nanochemistry of metals published in recent years are generalised. Primary attention is centred on the methods for the synthesis of nanoparticles and their chemical reactions. The means of stabilisation of nanoparticles which involve individual metals and incorporate atoms of several metals are considered as well as their physicochemical properties. Self-assembling processes of nanoparticles are described. The prospects of using metal nanoparticles in semiconductor devices, catalysis, biology and medicine are discussed. The bibliography includes 165 references.

  12. Haematology, genotoxicity, enzymatic activity and histopathology as biomarkers of metal pollution in the shrew Crocidura russula

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanchez-Chardi, A.; Marques, C.C.; Gabriel, S.I.; Capela-Silva, F.; Cabrita, A.S.; Lopez-Fuster, M.J.; Nadal, J.; Mathias, M.L.

    2008-01-01

    Haematological (WBC, RBC, Hgb and Hct) and genotoxicity (MNT) parameters, hepatic enzymatic activities (GST, GPx and GR), and a histopathological evaluation of liver, kidneys and gonads were assessed as general biomarkers of metal pollution in the shrew Crocidura russula inhabiting a pyrite mining area. Specimens exposed to metals presented a few significant alterations when compared with reference animals: GST activity decreased; micronuclei increased; and evident liver alterations related to metal exposure were observed. On the basis of all the parameters studied, age was an important factor that partly explained the observed variation, whereas sex was the least important factor. Significant correlations were also found between heavy metal concentrations and biomarkers evaluated, demonstrating the great influence of these metals in the metabolic alterations. To the best of our knowledge, these data constitute the first measurements of a battery of biomarkers in shrews from a mine site and are among the few available for insectivorous mammals. - Metals from an abandoned pyrite mine produce alterations in haematological parameters, GST, MNT, and histopathology in shrews

  13. Inert anode containing base metal and noble metal useful for the electrolytic production of aluminum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Siba P.; Liu, Xinghua

    2000-01-01

    An inert anode for production of metals such as aluminum is disclosed. The inert anode comprises a base metal selected from Cu and Ag, and at least one noble metal selected from Ag, Pd, Pt, Au, Rh, Ru, Ir and Os. The inert anode may optionally be formed of sintered particles having interior portions containing more base metal than noble metal and exterior portions containing more noble metal than base metal. In a preferred embodiment, the base metal comprises Cu, and the noble metal comprises Ag, Pd or a combination thereof.

  14. Metal-metal interaction mediates the iron induction of Drosophila MtnB

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qiang, Wenjia; Huang, Yunpeng; Wan, Zhihui; Zhou, Bing

    2017-01-01

    Metallothionein (MT) protein families are a class of small and universal proteins rich in cysteine residues. They are synthesized in response to heavy metal stresses to sequester the toxic ions by metal-thiolate bridges. Five MT family members, namely MtnA, MtnB, MtnC, MtnD and MtnE, have been discovered and identified in Drosophila. These five isoforms of MTs are regulated by metal responsive transcription factor dMTF-1 and play differentiated but overlapping roles in detoxification of metal ions. Previous researches have shown that Drosophila MtnB responds to copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn). Interestingly in this study we found that Drosophila MtnB expression also responds to elevated iron levels in the diet. Further investigations revealed that MtnB plays limited roles in iron detoxification, and the direct binding of MtnB to ferrous iron in vitro is also weak. The induction of MtnB by iron turns out to be mediated by iron interference of other metals, because EDTA at even a partial concentration of that of iron can suppress this induction. Indeed, in the presence of iron, zinc homeostasis is altered, as reflected by expression changes of zinc transporters dZIP1 and dZnT1. Thus, iron-mediated MtnB induction appears resulting from interrupted homeostasis of other metals such as zinc, which in turns induced MtnB expression. Metal-metal interaction may more widely exist than we expected. - Highlights: • Metallothionein B expression is regulated by iron in Drosophila melanogaster. • MtnB has limited physiological roles in iron detoxification. • Binding affinity of MtnB to iron is weak in vitro. • Induction of Drosophila MtnB by iron is mediated indirectly through metal-metal interaction.

  15. A flexible ligand-based wavy layered metal-organic framework for lithium-ion storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Tiance; Wang, Yuhang; Tang, Jing; Wang, Yang; Zhang, Lijuan; Zheng, Gengfeng

    2015-05-01

    A substantial challenge for direct utilization of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as lithium-ion battery anodes is to maintain the rigid MOF structure during lithiation/delithiation cycles. In this work, we developed a flexible, wavy layered nickel-based MOF (C20H24Cl2N8Ni, designated as Ni-Me4bpz) by a solvothermal approach of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethyl-4,4'-bipyrazole (H2Me4bpz) with nickel(II) chloride hexahydrate. The obtained MOF materials (Ni-Me4bpz) with metal azolate coordination mode provide 2-dimensional layered structure for Li(+) intercalation/extraction, and the H2Me4bpz ligands allow for flexible rotation feature and structural stability. Lithium-ion battery anodes made of the Ni-Me4bpz material demonstrate excellent specific capacity and cycling performance, and the crystal structure is well preserved after the electrochemical tests, suggesting the potential of developing flexible layered MOFs for efficient and stable electrochemical storage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Metallic glass coating on metals plate by adjusted explosive welding technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, W.D.; Liu, K.X.; Chen, Q.Y.; Wang, J.T.; Yan, H.H.; Li, X.J.

    2009-01-01

    Using an adjusted explosive welding technique, an aluminum plate has been coated by a Fe-based metallic glass foil in this work. Scanning electronic micrographs reveal a defect-free metallurgical bonding between the Fe-based metallic glass foil and the aluminum plate. Experimental evidence indicates that the Fe-based metallic glass foil almost retains its amorphous state and mechanical properties after the explosive welding process. Additionally, the detailed explosive welding process has been simulated by a self-developed hydro-code and the bonding mechanism has been investigated by numerical analysis. The successful welding between the Fe-based metallic glass foil and the aluminum plate provides a new way to obtain amorphous coating on general metal substrates.

  17. Fabrication of Metallic Hollow Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jae-Woo (Inventor); Choi, Sr., Sang H. (Inventor); Lillehei, Peter T. (Inventor); Chu, Sang-Hyon (Inventor); Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); King, Glen C. (Inventor); Elliott, James R. (Inventor)

    2016-01-01

    Metal and semiconductor nanoshells, particularly transition metal nanoshells, are fabricated using dendrimer molecules. Metallic colloids, metallic ions or semiconductors are attached to amine groups on the dendrimer surface in stabilized solution for the surface seeding method and the surface seedless method, respectively. Subsequently, the process is repeated with additional metallic ions or semiconductor, a stabilizer, and NaBH.sub.4 to increase the wall thickness of the metallic or semiconductor lining on the dendrimer surface. Metallic or semiconductor ions are automatically reduced on the metallic or semiconductor nanoparticles causing the formation of hollow metallic or semiconductor nanoparticles. The void size of the formed hollow nanoparticles depends on the dendrimer generation. The thickness of the metallic or semiconductor thin film around the dendrimer depends on the repetition times and the size of initial metallic or semiconductor seeds.

  18. Metals and Neurodegeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Pan; Miah, Mahfuzur Rahman; Aschner, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Metals play important roles in the human body, maintaining cell structure and regulating gene expression, neurotransmission, and antioxidant response, to name a few. However, excessive metal accumulation in the nervous system may be toxic, inducing oxidative stress, disrupting mitochondrial function, and impairing the activity of numerous enzymes. Damage caused by metal accumulation may result in permanent injuries, including severe neurological disorders. Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown a strong correlation between aberrant metal exposure and a number of neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism spectrum disorders, Guillain–Barré disease, Gulf War syndrome, Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Wilson’s disease. Here, we briefly survey the literature relating to the role of metals in neurodegeneration. PMID:27006759

  19. Charging damage in floating metal-insulator-metal capacitors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ackaert, Jan; Wang, Zhichun; De Backer, E.; Coppens, P.

    2002-01-01

    In this paper, charging induced damage (CID) to metal-insulator-metal capacitors (MIMC) is reported. The damage is caused by the build up of a voltage potential difference between the two plates of the capacitor. A simple logarithmic relation is discovered between the damage by this voltage

  20. Liquid metal purification device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakai, Takao; Shimoyashiki, Shigehiro.

    1992-01-01

    The device of the present invention concerns a liquid metal purification device for removing and purifying impuries in liquid metal sodium used as coolants of an FBR type reactor. A vessel having a group of pipes made of hydrogen permeable metal at the inside thereof is disposed to the inlet pipeline of a cold trap. The group of hydrogen permeable metal pipes is connected to an exhaust pipe and a vacuum pump, so that the inside of the pipes is exhausted. Liquid metal sodium branched from the main pipeline of a coolant system passes through the outer side of the group of the hydrogen permeable metal pipes. In this cae, hydrogen contained as impurities in the liquid metal sodium diffuses and permeates the hydrogen permeation metal pipes and enters into the pipe group and is discharged out of the system by the vacuum pump. This can mitigate the hydrogen removing burden of the cold trap, to extend the device life time. (I.N.)

  1. Bio-processing of solid wastes and secondary resources for metal extraction – A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jae-chun; Pandey, Banshi Dhar

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Review focuses on bio-extraction of metals from solid wastes of industries and consumer goods. ► Bio-processing of certain effluents/wastewaters with metals is also included in brief. ► Quantity/composition of wastes are assessed, and microbes used and leaching conditions included. ► Bio-recovery using bacteria, fungi and archaea is highlighted for resource recycling. ► Process methodology/mechanism, R and D direction and scope of large scale use are briefly included. - Abstract: Metal containing wastes/byproducts of various industries, used consumer goods, and municipal waste are potential pollutants, if not treated properly. They may also be important secondary resources if processed in eco-friendly manner for secured supply of contained metals/materials. Bio-extraction of metals from such resources with microbes such as bacteria, fungi and archaea is being increasingly explored to meet the twin objectives of resource recycling and pollution mitigation. This review focuses on the bio-processing of solid wastes/byproducts of metallurgical and manufacturing industries, chemical/petrochemical plants, electroplating and tanning units, besides sewage sludge and fly ash of municipal incinerators, electronic wastes (e-wastes/PCBs), used batteries, etc. An assessment has been made to quantify the wastes generated and its compositions, microbes used, metal leaching efficiency etc. Processing of certain effluents and wastewaters comprising of metals is also included in brief. Future directions of research are highlighted.

  2. Silver decorated LaMnO_3 nanorod/graphene composite electrocatalysts as reversible metal-air battery electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu, Jie; Liu, Qiunan; Shi, Lina; Shi, Ziwei; Huang, Hao

    2017-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Silver decorated LaMnO_3 nanorod/reduced graphene oxide composite possess excellent bifunctional electrocatalytic activity and good electrochemical stability in alkaline medium. - Highlights: • Silver decorated LaMnO_3 nanorod/graphene composite were synthesized for the first time. • The ORR and OER of composite in alkaline medium were evaluated. • This composite as an efficient bifunctional catalyst has a good cycle performance. - Abstract: Perovskite LaMnO_3 nanorod/reduced graphene oxides (LMO-NR/RGO) decorated with Ag nanoparticles are studied as a bifunctional catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolyte. LMO-NR/RGO composites are synthesized by using cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as template via a simple hydrothermal reaction followed by heat treatment; overlaying of Ag nanoparticles is obtained through a traditional silver mirror reaction. Electron microscopy reveals that LMO-NR is embedded between the sheets of RGO, and the material is homogeneously overlaid with Ag nanoparticles. The unique composite morphology of Ag/LMO-NR/RGO not only enhances the electron transport property by increasing conductivity but also facilitates the diffusion of electrolytes and oxygen. As confirmed by electrochemical testing, Ag/LMO-NR/RGO exhibits very strong synergy with Ag nanoparticles, LMO-NR, and RGO, and the catalytic activities of Ag/LMO-NR/RGO during ORR and OER are significantly improved. With the novel catalyst, the homemade zinc-air battery can be reversibly charged and discharged and display a stable cycle performance, indicating the great potential of this composite as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for metal-air batteries.

  3. Inflammatory pseudotumor causing deep vein thrombosis after metal-on-metal hip resurfacing arthroplasty.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Memon, Adeel Rasool

    2013-01-01

    Metal-on-metal hip resurfacings have recently been associated with a variety of complications resulting from adverse reaction to metal debris. We report a case of extensive soft tissue necrosis associated with a huge pelvic mass causing extensive deep vein thrombosis of the lower limb secondary to mechanical compression of the iliac vein. This is a rare and unusual cause of deep vein thrombosis after metal-on-metal hip resurfacing arthroplasty.

  4. An Electrochemical Investigation of the Chemical Diffusivity in Liquid Metal Alloys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barriga, Salvador A.

    The liquid metal battery has been shown to be a viable candidate for grid-scale energy storage, due to its fast kinetics and ability to be constructed from economically feasible materials. Various of the liquid metal couples that form high stable voltages, such as the calcium chemistries, are rate limited because they tend to form solid intermetallic compounds with high melting points. In order to understand and better engineer these batteries, the kinetic properties of these liquid alloys, in particular the chemical diffusivity, must be known accurately so that it can be used as input in computational simulations to avoid the nucleation of any solids. Unfortunately, the dominant experimental methods for measuring diffusion in liquid metals today are unreliable because the measurement timescales are on the order of days, require long capillaries susceptible to buoyancy-driven flow from temperature fluctuations, and composition analysis must be done ex-situ as a solid. To counter all these problems, a new and novel method for measuring the chemical diffusivity of metals in liquid alloys derived from electrochemical principles is presented in this thesis. This new method has the advantage of operating in shorter times scales of minutes rather than days, and requires the use of small capillaries which collectively minimize the effect of convectively-driven flow caused from temperature gradients. This new method was derived by solving the same boundary conditions required by the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique for solid-state electrodes. To verify the validity of the new theoretical derivation, the method was used to measure the chemical diffusivity of calcium in liquid bismuth within the temperature range of 550 - 700 °C using a three-electrode setup with a ternary molten salt electrolyte. Three compositions where studied (5% Ca-Bi, 10% Ca-Bi, and 15% Ca-Bi) for comparison. The chemical diffusion coefficient was found to range between (6.77 +/- 0.21)x

  5. Deposition of metal Islands, metal clusters and metal containing single molecules on self-assembled monolayers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Speets, Emiel Adrianus

    2005-01-01

    The central topic of this thesis is the deposition of metals on Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs). Metals are deposited in the form of submicron scale islands, nanometer scale clusters, and as supramolecular, organometallic coordination cages. Several SAMs on various substrates were prepared and

  6. From melamine sponge towards 3D sulfur-doping carbon nitride as metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jingjing; Li, Bin; Li, Songmei; Liu, Jianhua

    2017-07-01

    Development of new and efficient metal-free electrocatalysts for replacing Pt to improve the sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of great importance to emerging renewable energy technologies such as metal-air batteries and polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Herein, 3D sulfur-doping carbon nitride (S-CN) as a novel metal-free ORR electrocatalyst was synthesized by exploiting commercial melamine sponge as raw material. The sulfur atoms were doping on CN networks uniformly through numerous S-C bonds which can provide additional active sites. And it was found that the S-CN exhibited high catalytic activity for ORR in term of more positive onset potential, higher electron transfer number and higher cathodic density. This work provides a novel choice of metal-free ORR electrocatalysts and highlights the importance of sulfur-doping CN in metal-free ORR electrocatalysts.

  7. Bioleaching of spent Zn-Mn or Ni-Cd batteries by Aspergillus species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Min-Ji; Seo, Ja-Yeon; Choi, Yong-Seok; Kim, Gyu-Hyeok

    2016-05-01

    This research explores the recovery of metals from spent Zn-Mn or Ni-Cd batteries by a bioleaching using six Aspergillus species. Two different nutrients, malt extract and sucrose, were used to produce different types of organic acids. Oxalic acid and citric acid were shown to be the dominant organic acid in malt extract and sucrose media, respectively. In the bioleaching, the metal removal was higher in sucrose media than malt extract. All species, except A. niger KUC5254, showed more than 90% removal of metals from Zn-Mn battery. For Ni-Cd battery, more than 95% of metals was extracted by A. niger KUC5254 and A. tubingensis KUC5037. As a result, A. tubingensis KUC5037 which is a non-ochratoxigenic fungus was considered to have the greatest potential for improving the safety and efficiency of the bioleaching. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Recent Progress in Metal-Organic Frameworks and Their Derived Nanostructures for Energy and Environmental Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Zhiqiang; Xu, Wangwang; Cui, Xiaodan; Wang, Ying

    2017-04-22

    Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as a very promising category of porous materials, have attracted increasing interest from research communities due to their extremely high surface areas, diverse nanostructures, and unique properties. In recent years, there is a growing body of evidence to indicate that MOFs can function as ideal templates to prepare various nanostructured materials for energy and environmental cleaning applications. Recent progress in the design and synthesis of MOFs and MOF-derived nanomaterials for particular applications in lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, dye-sensitized solar cells, and heavy-metal-ion detection and removal is reviewed herein. In addition, the remaining major challenges in the above fields are discussed and some perspectives for future research efforts in the development of MOFs are also provided. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Metal interactions with boron clusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grimes, R.N.

    1982-01-01

    This book presents information on the following topics: the structural and bonding features of metallaboranes and metallacarboranes; transition-metal derivatives of nido-boranes and some related species; interactions of metal groups with the octahydrotriborate (1-) anion, B 3 H 8 ; metallaboron cage compounds of the main group metals; closo-carborane-metal complexes containing metal-carbon and metal-boron omega-bonds; electrochemistry of metallaboron cage compounds; and boron clusters with transition metal-hydrogen bonds

  10. Catalytic potential of selected metal ions for bioleaching, and potential techno-economic and environmental issues: A critical review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pathak, Ashish; Morrison, Liam; Healy, Mark Gerard

    2017-04-01

    Bioleaching is considered to be a low-cost, eco-friendly technique for leaching valuable metals from a variety of matrixes. However, the inherent slow dissolution kinetics and low metal leaching yields have restricted its wider commercial applicability. Recent advancements in bio-hydrometallurgy have suggested that these critical issues can be successfully alleviated through the addition of a catalyst. The catalyzing properties of a variety of metals ions (Ag + , Hg ++ , Bi +++ , Cu ++ , Co ++ etc.) during bioleaching have been successfully demonstrated. In this article, the role and mechanisms of these metal species in catalyzing bioleaching from different minerals (chalcopyrite, complex sulfides, etc.) and waste materials (spent batteries) are reviewed, techno-economic and environmental challenges associated with the use of metals ions as catalysts are identified, and future prospectives are discussed. Based on the analysis, it is suggested that metal ion-catalyzed bioleaching will play a key role in the development of future industrial bio-hydrometallurgical processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. From Metal-Organic Framework to Li2S@C-Co-N Nanoporous Architecture: A High-Capacity Cathode for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Jiarui; Chen, Yuanfu; Lv, Weiqiang; Wen, Kechun; Xu, Chen; Zhang, Wanli; Li, Yanrong; Qin, Wu; He, Weidong

    2016-12-27

    Owing to the high theoretical specific capacity (1166 mAh g -1 ), lithium sulfide (Li 2 S) has been considered as a promising cathode material for Li-S batteries. However, the polysulfide dissolution and low electronic conductivity of Li 2 S limit its further application in next-generation Li-S batteries. In this report, a nanoporous Li 2 S@C-Co-N cathode is synthesized by liquid infiltration-evaporation of ultrafine Li 2 S nanoparticles into graphitic carbon co-doped with cobalt and nitrogen (C-Co-N) derived from metal-organic frameworks. The obtained Li 2 S@C-Co-N architecture remarkably immobilizes Li 2 S within the cathode structure through physical and chemical molecular interactions. Owing to the synergistic interactions between C-Co-N and Li 2 S nanoparticles, the Li 2 S@C-Co-N composite delivers a reversible capacity of 1155.3 (99.1% of theoretical value) at the initial cycle and 929.6 mAh g -1 after 300 cycles, with nearly 100% Coulombic efficiency and a capacity fading of 0.06% per cycle. It exhibits excellent rate capacities of 950.6, 898.8, and 604.1 mAh g -1 at 1C, 2C, and 4C, respectively. Such a cathode structure is promising for practical applications in high-performance Li-S batteries.

  12. Fatal Cobalt Toxicity after a Non-Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Arthroplasty

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rinne M. Peters

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This case illustrates the potential for systemic cobalt toxicity in non-metal-on-metal bearings and its potentially devastating consequences. We present a 71-year-old male with grinding sensations in his right hip following ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty (THA. After diagnosing a fractured ceramic liner, the hip prosthesis was revised into a metal-on-polyethylene bearing. At one year postoperatively, X-rays and MARS-MRI showed a fixed reversed hybrid THA, with periarticular densities, flattening of the femoral head component, and a pattern of periarticular metal wear debris and pseudotumor formation. Before revision could take place, the patient was admitted with the clinical picture of systemic cobalt toxicity, supported by excessively high serum cobalt and chromium levels, and ultimately died. At autopsy dilated cardiomyopathy as cause of death was hypothesized. A third body wear reaction between ceramic remnants and the metal femoral head very likely led to excessive metal wear, which contributed systemic cobalt toxicity leading to neurotoxicity and heart failure. This case emphasizes that fractured ceramic-on-ceramic bearings should be revised to ceramic-on-ceramic or ceramic-on-polyethylene bearings, but not to metal-on-polyethylene bearings. We aim to increase awareness among orthopedic surgeons for clinical clues for systemic cobalt intoxication, even when there is no metal-on-metal bearing surface.

  13. Plasma damage in floating metal-insulator-metal capacitors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ackaert, Jan; Wang, Zhichun; De Backer, E.; Coppens, P.

    2002-01-01

    In this paper, charging induced damage (CID) to metal-insulator-metal capacitors (MIMCs), is reported. CID does not necessarily lead to direct yield loss, but may also induce latent damage leading to reliability losses. The damage is caused by the build up of a voltage potential difference between

  14. Plasma Damage in Floating Metal-Insulator-Metal Capacitors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ackaert, Jan; Wang, Zhichun; Backer, E.; Coppens, P.

    2001-01-01

    In this paper, charging induced damage (CID) to metal-insulator-metal capacitors (MIMCs), is reported. CID does not necessarily lead to direct yield loss, but may also induce latent damage leading to reliability losses. The damage is caused by the build up of a voltage potential difference between

  15. Chromium metal organic frameworks and synthesis of metal organic frameworks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Hong-Cai; Liu, Tian-Fu; Lian, Xizhen; Zou, Lanfang; Feng, Dawei

    2018-04-24

    The present invention relates to monocrystalline metal organic frameworks comprising chromium ions and carboxylate ligands and the use of the same, for example their use for storing a gas. The invention also relates to methods for preparing metal organic frameworks comprising chromium, titanium or iron ions and carboxylate ligands. The methods of the invention allow such metal organic frameworks to be prepared in monocrystalline or polycrystalline forms.

  16. Alloying in an Intercalation Host: Metal Titanium Niobates as Anodes for Rechargeable Alkali-Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Suman; Swain, Diptikanta; Araujo, Rafael B; Shi, Songxin; Ahuja, Rajeev; Row, Tayur N Guru; Bhattacharyya, Aninda J

    2018-02-02

    We discuss here a unique flexible non-carbonaceous layered host, namely, metal titanium niobates (M-Ti-niobate, M: Al 3+ , Pb 2+ , Sb 3+ , Ba 2+ , Mg 2+ ), which can synergistically store both lithium ions and sodium ions via a simultaneous intercalation and alloying mechanisms. M-Ti-niobate is formed by ion exchange of the K + ions, which are specifically located inside galleries between the layers formed by edge and corner sharing TiO 6 and NbO 6 octahedral units in the sol-gel synthesized potassium titanium niobate (KTiNbO 5 ). Drastic volume changes (approximately 300-400 %) typically associated with an alloying mechanism of storage are completely tackled chemically by the unique chemical composition and structure of the M-Ti-niobates. The free space between the adjustable Ti/Nb octahedral layers easily accommodates the volume changes. Due to the presence of an optimum amount of multivalent alloying metal ions (50-75 % of total K + ) in the M-Ti-niobate, an efficient alloying reaction takes place directly with ions and completely eliminates any form of mechanical degradation of the electroactive particles. The M-Ti-niobate can be cycled over a wide voltage range (as low as 0.01 V) and displays remarkably stable Li + and Na + ion cyclability (>2 Li + /Na + per formula unit) for widely varying current densities over few hundreds to thousands of successive cycles. The simultaneous intercalation and alloying storage mechanisms is also studied within the density functional theory (DFT) framework. DFT expectedly shows a very small variation in the volume of Al-titanium niobate following lithium alloying. Moreover, the theoretical investigations also conclusively support the occurrence of the alloying process of Li ions with the Al ions along with the intercalation process during discharge. The M-Ti-niobates studied here demonstrate a paradigm shift in chemical design of electrodes and will pave the way for the development of a multitude of improved electrodes

  17. Enhancement of the lithium cycling capability using Li–Zn alloy substrate for lithium metal batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Chen; Yang, Yifu; Shao, Huixia

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Li-Zn alloy substrate is novelly formed by Li electrodeposition on the Zn substrate precursor. • The coulombic efficiency of Li deposition/stripping on the Li-Zn alloy substrate remains high at 96.7% after 400 cycles. • The SEI film formed during the formation of Li-Zn alloy is stable during Li deposition/stripping cycling on the Li-Zn substrate. • The exchange current density of Li deposition on the Li-Zn substrate is 9.21 × 10 −4 A cm −2 which is nearly eight times larger than that on the Cu substrate. - Abstract: The cycling performance of a Li metal electrode in rechargeable Li batteries is studied using a novelly formed Li–Zn alloy as a substrate. A Zn layer electrodeposited on a Cu disk with ultrasonic assistance is used as a substrate precursor. Li electrodeposition followed to form the Li–Zn alloy. The morphologies of the substrate before and after Li deposition and stripping are investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the electrochemical properties of the substrate are investigated by galvanostatic charge-discharge and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The growth states of solid electrolyte interface (SEI) films of Li deposits on the Li–Zn alloy and Cu surfaces are compared by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS); exchange current densities of Li electrodeposition on Cu, Zn, and Li–Zn alloy substrates are also compared based on tests of constant current pulse deposition. The efficiency of Li deposition/stripping on the Li–Zn alloy substrate remains high at 96.7% after 400 cycles at a current density of 0.1 mA cm −2 and 250 cycles at the current density of 0.2 mA cm −2 . These results can be attributed to the formation of a stable SEI film on the Li–Zn substrate and the high exchange current density of Li deposition and stripping on this substrate. The Li–Zn alloy proposed in this work may be a perfect substrate for enhancing the cycling capability of Li metal electrode

  18. Progress in metal-insulator-metal waveguide lasers at near-infrared wavelengths

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marell, M.J.H.; Hill, M.T.

    2009-01-01

    Strong light con¯nement can be achieved in metallic cavities which can con¯ne light to volumes with dimensions considerably smaller than the wavelength of light. It was commonly believed, however, that the high losses in metals are prohibitive for laser peration in metallic nano-cavities. Recently

  19. Synthesis, Characterization, and Ultrafast Dynamics of Metal, Metal Oxide, and Semiconductor Nanomaterials

    OpenAIRE

    Wheeler, Damon Andreas

    2013-01-01

    SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND ULTRAFAST DYNAMICS OF METAL, METAL OXIDE, AND SEMICONDUCTOR NANOMATERIALSABSTRACTThe optical properties of each of the three main classes of inorganic nanomaterials, metals, metal oxides, and semiconductors differ greatly due to the intrinsically different nature of the materials. These optical properties are among the most fascinating and useful aspects of nanomaterials with applications spanning cancer treatment, sensors, lasers, and solar cells. One techn...

  20. Metal uptake and acute toxicity in zebrafish: Common mechanisms across multiple metals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alsop, Derek, E-mail: alsopde@mcmaster.ca [Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 (Canada); Wood, Chris M. [Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 (Canada)

    2011-10-15

    All metals tested reduced calcium uptake in zebrafish larvae. However, it was whole body sodium loss that was functionally related to toxicity. The zebrafish larvae acute toxicity assay save time, space and resources. - Abstract: Zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio) were used to examine the mechanisms of action and acute toxicities of metals. Larvae had similar physiological responses and sensitivities to waterborne metals as adults. While cadmium and zinc have previously been shown to reduce Ca{sup 2+} uptake, copper and nickel also decreased Ca{sup 2+} uptake, suggesting that the epithelial transport of all these metals is through Ca{sup 2+} pathways. However, exposure to cadmium, copper or nickel for up to 48 h had little or no effect on total whole body Ca{sup 2+} levels, indicating that the reduction of Ca{sup 2+} uptake is not the acute toxic mechanism of these metals. Instead, mortalities were effectively related to whole body Na{sup +}, which decreased up to 39% after 48 h exposures to different metals around their respective 96 h LC50s. Decreases in whole body K{sup +} were also observed, although they were not as pronounced or frequent as Na{sup +} losses. None of the metals tested inhibited Na{sup +} uptake in zebrafish (Na{sup +} uptake was in fact increased with exposure) and the observed losses of Na{sup +}, K{sup +}, Ca{sup 2+} and Mg{sup 2+} were proportional to the ionic gradients between the plasma and water, indicating diffusive ion loss with metal exposure. This study has shown that there is a common pathway for metal uptake and a common mechanism of acute toxicity across groups of metals in zebrafish. The disruption of ion uptake accompanying metal exposure does not appear to be responsible for the acute toxicity of metals, as has been previously suggested, but rather the toxicity is instead due to total ion loss (predominantly Na{sup +}).

  1. 21 CFR 888.3358 - Hip joint metal/polymer/metal semi-constrained porous-coated uncemented prosthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Hip joint metal/polymer/metal semi-constrained... Devices § 888.3358 Hip joint metal/polymer/metal semi-constrained porous-coated uncemented prosthesis. (a) Identification. A hip joint metal/polymer/metal semi-constrained porous-coated uncemented prosthesis is a device...

  2. Implanted cardiac devices are reliably detected by commercially available metal detectors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holm, Katja Fiedler; Hjortshøj, Søren Pihlkjær; Pehrson, Steen

    2013-01-01

    Explosions of Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices (CIEDs) (pacemakers, defibrillators, and loop recorders) are a well-recognized problem during cremation, due to lithium-iodine batteries. In addition, burial of the deceased with a CIED can present a potential risk for environmental...... contamination. Therefore, detection of CIEDs in the deceased would be of value. This study evaluated a commercially available metal detector for detecting CIEDs....

  3. Metal Matrix Composite Material by Direct Metal Deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novichenko, D.; Marants, A.; Thivillon, L.; Bertrand, P. H.; Smurov, I.

    Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) is a laser cladding process for producing a protective coating on the surface of a metallic part or manufacturing layer-by-layer parts in a single-step process. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the possibility to create carbide-reinforced metal matrix composite objects. Powders of steel 16NCD13 with different volume contents of titanium carbide are tested. On the base of statistical analysis, a laser cladding processing map is constructed. Relationships between the different content of titanium carbide in a powder mixture and the material microstructure are found. Mechanism of formation of various precipitated titanium carbides is investigated.

  4. Polymer-supported metals and metal oxide nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization, and applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sarkar, Sudipta; Guibal, E.; Quignard, F.; SenGupta, A. K.

    2012-01-01

    Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles exhibit unique properties in regard to sorption behaviors, magnetic activity, chemical reduction, ligand sequestration among others. To this end, attempts are being continuously made to take advantage of them in multitude of applications including separation, catalysis, environmental remediation, sensing, biomedical applications and others. However, metal and metal oxide nanoparticles lack chemical stability and mechanical strength. They exhibit extremely high pressure drop or head loss in fixed-bed column operation and are not suitable for any flow-through systems. Also, nanoparticles tend to aggregate; this phenomenon reduces their high surface area to volume ratio and subsequently reduces effectiveness. By appropriately dispersing metal and metal oxide nanoparticles into synthetic and naturally occurring polymers, many of the shortcomings can be overcome without compromising the parent properties of the nanoparticles. Furthermore, the appropriate choice of the polymer host with specific functional groups may even lead to the enhancement of the properties of nanoparticles. The synthesis of hybrid materials involves two broad pathways: dispersing the nanoparticles (i) within pre-formed or commercially available polymers; and (ii) during the polymerization process. This review presents a broad coverage of nanoparticles and polymeric/biopolymeric host materials and the resulting properties of the hybrid composites. In addition, the review discusses the role of the Donnan membrane effect exerted by the host functionalized polymer in harnessing the desirable properties of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles for intended applications.

  5. Redox chemistry of a binary transition metal oxide (AB2O4): a study of the Cu(2+)/Cu(0) and Fe(3+)/Fe(0) interconversions observed upon lithiation in a CuFe2O4 battery using X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cama, Christina A; Pelliccione, Christopher J; Brady, Alexander B; Li, Jing; Stach, Eric A; Wang, Jiajun; Wang, Jun; Takeuchi, Esther S; Takeuchi, Kenneth J; Marschilok, Amy C

    2016-06-22

    Copper ferrite, CuFe2O4, is a promising candidate for application as a high energy electrode material in lithium based batteries. Mechanistic insight on the electrochemical reduction and oxidation processes was gained through the first X-ray absorption spectroscopic study of lithiation and delithiation of CuFe2O4. A phase pure tetragonal CuFe2O4 material was prepared and characterized using laboratory and synchrotron X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Ex situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements were used to study the battery redox processes at the Fe and Cu K-edges, using X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), and transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) spectroscopies. EXAFS analysis showed upon discharge, an initial conversion of 50% of the copper(ii) to copper metal positioned outside of the spinel structure, followed by a migration of tetrahedral iron(iii) cations to octahedral positions previously occupied by copper(ii). Upon charging to 3.5 V, the copper metal remained in the metallic state, while iron metal oxidation to iron(iii) was achieved. The results provide new mechanistic insight regarding the evolution of the local coordination environments at the iron and copper centers upon discharging and charging.

  6. Separating and recycling metals from mixed metallic particles of crushed electronic wastes by vacuum metallurgy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhan, Lu; Xu, Zhenming

    2009-09-15

    During the treatment of electronic wastes, a crushing process is usually used to strip metals from various base plates. Several methods have been applied to separate metals from nonmetals. However, mixed metallic particles obtained from these processes are still a mixture of various metals, including some toxic heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. With emphasis on recovering copper and other precious metals, there have hitherto been no satisfactory methods to recover these toxic metals. In this paper, the criterion of separating metals from mixed metallic particles by vacuum metallurgy is built. The results show that the metals with high vapor pressure have been almost recovered completely, leading to a considerable reduction of environmental pollution. In addition, the purity of copper in mixed particles has been improved from about 80 wt % to over 98 wt %.

  7. Metal contamination in water sediments; Contaminacion por metales en sedimentos acuaticos

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Usero Garcia, J.; Morillo Aguado, J.; Gracia Manarillo, I. [Universidad de Sevilla. Sevilla (Spain)

    1997-09-01

    The origin, distribution, and behaviour of metals in aquatic systems, and factors affecting the solubilization and entry into the water column of metals associated with sediments are examined. Also, the interaction of these metals with and toxic effects on living organisms are studied. Finally, the existing methods for assessing the degree of pollution of sediments and the mobility of the metals associated with the sediments are explained. In the second section of this paper, the methods used for sampling, preparing, and analysing the sediments are described. (Author) 48 refs.

  8. Development of new anodes for rechargeable lithium batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sandi, G. [Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL (United States)

    2001-10-01

    Lithium ion batteries have been introduced in the early 1990s by Sony Corporation. Ever since their introduction carbonaceous materials have received considerable attention for use as anodes because of their potential safety and reliability advantages. Natural graphite, cokes, carbon fibres, non-graphitizable carbon, and pyrolytic carbon have been used as sources for carbon materials. Recently metal alloys and metal oxides have been studied as alternatives to carbon as negative electrodes in lithium-ion cells. This paper reviews the performance of some of the carbonaceous materials used in lithium-ion batteries as well as some of the new metallic alloys of aluminum, silica, selenium, lead, bismuth, antimony and arsenic, as alternatives to carbon as negative electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. It is concluded that while some of these materials are promising, practical applications will continue to be limited until after the volume expansion and the irreversibility problems are resolved. 50 refs., 5 figs.

  9. An interface-reconstruction effect for rechargeable aluminum battery in ionic liquid electrolyte to enhance cycling performances

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng Wu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Aluminum (Al metal has been regarded as a promising anode for rechargeable batteries because of its natural abundance and high theoretical specific capacity. However, rechargeable aluminum batteries (RABs using Al metal as anode display poor cycling performances owing to interface problems between anode and electrolyte. The solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI layer on the anode has been confirmed to be essential for improving cycling performances of rechargeable batteries. Therefore, we immerse the Al metal in ionic liquid electrolyte for some time before it is used as anode to remove the passive film and expose fresh Al to the electrolyte. Then the reactions of exposed Al, acid, oxygen and water in electrolyte are occurred to form an SEI layer in the cycle. Al/electrolyte/V2O5 full batteries with the thin, uniform and stable SEI layer on Al metal anode perform high discharge capacity and coulombic efficiency (CE. This work illustrates that an SEI layer is formed on Al metal anode in the cycle using a simple and effective pretreatment process and results in superior cycling performances for RABs.

  10. Assessment of soil-pollution by slag from an automobile battery ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    automobile battery manufacturing plant in Nigeria. Gilbert U. Adie1* and .... Contamination of the environment with heavy metals .... assessment of heavy metal contamination using ..... contact with the soil or through food chain with water,.

  11. Study of hydrogenation for pulverization of rare earth alloys with Nb for metal hydride electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ferreira, Eliner Affonso

    2013-01-01

    In this work were studied La ,7 Mg 0,3 Al 0,3 Mn 0,4 Co (0.5-x) NbxNi 3.8 (x= 0 - 0.5) and La 0,7 Mg 0,3 Al 0,3 Mn 0.4 Nb (05+x) Co 0,5 Ni (3.8-x) . (x=0.3; 0.5;1.3) alloys for negative electrodes of the Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries. The hydrogenation of the alloys was performed varying pressing of H 2 (2 and 9 bar). The discharge capacity of the nickel-metal hydride batteries were analyzed in the Arbin BT-4 electrical test equipment. The as-cast alloys were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) and X-Ray diffraction. The increasing Niobium addition in the alloys decreased cycle life and the maximum discharge capacity of the batteries. The maximum discharge capacity was obtained with the La .7 Mg 0.3 Al 0.3 Mn 0,4 Co 0.5 Ni 3.8 (45.36 mAh) and the battery which presented the best performance was La .7 Mg 0.3 Al 0.3 Mn 0.4 Co 0.5 Nb 0.1 Ni 3.8 (44.94 mAh). (author)

  12. Rare-earth metal transition metal borocarbide and nitridoborate superconductors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Niewa, Rainer; Shlyk, Larysa; Blaschkowski, Bjoern [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Anorganische Chemie

    2011-07-01

    Few years after the discovery of superconductivity in high-T{sub c} cuprates, borocarbides and shortly after nitridoborates with reasonably high T{sub c}s up to about 23 K attracted considerable attention. Particularly for the rare-earth metal series with composition RNi{sub 2}[B{sub 2}C] it turned out, that several members exhibit superconductivity next to magnetic order with both T{sub c} above or below the magnetic ordering temperature. Therefore, these compounds have been regarded as ideal materials to study the interplay and coexistence of superconductivity and long range magnetic order, due to their comparably high ordering temperatures and similar magnetic and superconducting condensation energies. This review gathers information on the series RNi{sub 2}[B{sub 2}C] and isostructural compounds with different transition metals substituting Ni as well as related series like RM[BC], RM[BN], AM[BN] and R{sub 3}M{sub 2}[BN]{sub 2}N (all with R = rare-earth metal, A = alkaline-earth metal, M = transition metal) with special focus on synthesis, crystal structures and structural trends in correspondence to physical properties. (orig.)

  13. Propagation Characteristics of Multilayer Hybrid Insulator-Metal-Insulator and Metal-Insulator-Metal Plasmonic Waveguides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Talafi Noghani

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Propagation characteristics of symmetrical and asymmetrical multilayer hybrid insulator-metal-insulator (HIMI and metal-insulator-metal (HMIM plasmonic slab waveguides are investigated using the transfer matrix method. Propagation length (Lp and spatial length (Ls are used as two figures of merit to qualitate the plasmonic waveguides. Symmetrical structures are shown to be more performant (having higher Lp and lower Ls, nevertheless it is shown that usage of asymmetrical geometry could compensate for the performance degradation in practically realized HIMI waveguides with different substrate materials. It is found that HMIM slab waveguide could support almost long-range subdiffraction plasmonic modes at dimensions lower than the spatial length of the HIMI slab waveguide.

  14. Multiple Electron Charge Transfer Chemistries for Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems: The Metal Boride and Metal Air Battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stuart, Jessica F.

    The primary focus of this work has been to develop high-energy capacity batteries capable of undergoing multiple electron charge transfer redox reactions to address the growing demand for improved electrical energy storage systems that can be applied to a range of applications. As the levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) increase in the Earth's atmosphere, the effects on climate change become increasingly apparent. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the U.S. electric power sector is responsible for the release of 2,039 million metric tons of CO2 annually, equating to 39% of total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions. Both nationally and abroad, there are numerous issues associated with the generation and use of electricity aside from the overwhelming dependence on fossil fuels and the subsequent carbon emissions, including reliability of the grid and the utilization of renewable energies. Renewable energy makes up a relatively small portion of total energy contributions worldwide, accounting for only 13% of the 3,955 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity produced each year, as reported by the EIA. As the demand to reduce our dependence on fossils fuels and transition to renewable energy sources increases, cost effective large-scale electrical energy storage must be established for renewable energy to become a sustainable option for the future. A high capacity energy storage system capable of leveling the intermittent nature of energy sources such as solar, wind, and water into the electric grid and provide electricity at times of high demand will facilitate this transition. In 2008, the Licht Group presented the highest volumetric energy capacity battery, the vanadium diboride (VB2) air battery, exceedingly proficient in transferring eleven electrons per molecule. This body of work focuses on new developments to this early battery such as fundamentally understanding the net discharge mechanism of the system, evaluation of the properties and

  15. Heavy metal jako subkultura

    OpenAIRE

    KOUTNÁ, Daniela

    2016-01-01

    This bachelor thesis deals with heavy metal subculture. Its aim is to introduce the most important branches and to show broadness of heavy metal. This bachelor thesis describes development and history, briefly shows Czech heavy metal history alongside with the biggest and most popular Czech heavy metal festivals. It shows the most dressing concerns of society against this style.

  16. Cathodes for lithium-air battery cells with acid electrolytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xing, Yangchuan; Huang, Kan; Li, Yunfeng

    2016-07-19

    In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a layered metal-air cathode for a metal-air battery. Generally, the layered metal-air cathode comprises an active catalyst layer, a transition layer bonded to the active catalyst layer, and a backing layer bonded to the transition layer such that the transition layer is disposed between the active catalyst layer and the backing layer.

  17. Used Battery Collection and Recycling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pistoia, G.; Wiaux, J.P.; Wolsky, S.P.

    2001-01-01

    This book covers all aspects of spent battery collection and recycling. First of all, the legislative and regulatory updates are addressed and the main institutions and programs worldwide are mentioned. An overview of the existing battery systems, of the chemicals used in them and their hazardous properties is made, followed by a survey of the major industrial recycling processes. The safety and efficiency of such processes are stressed. Particular consideration is given to the released emissions, i.e. to the impact on human health and the environment. Methods for the evaluation of this impact are described. Several chapters deal with specific battery chemistries: lead-acid, nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride, zinc (carbon and alkaline), lithium and lithium-ion. For each type of battery, details are provided on the collection/recycling process from the technical, economic and environmental viewpoint. The chemicals recoverable from each process and remarketable are mentioned. A chapter deals with recovering of the large batteries powering electric vehicles, e.g. lead-acid, nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion. The final chapter is devoted to the important topic of collecting batteries from used electrical and electronic equipment. The uncontrolled disposal of these devices still containing their batteries contributes to environmental pollution

  18. Plant responses to metal toxicity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Briat, J.F. [Montpellier-2 Univ., 34 (France). Biochimie et physiologie moleculaire des plantes, CNRS, URA 2133; Lebrun, M. [Montpellier-2 Univ., 34 (France). Biochimie et physiologie vegetale appliquee

    1999-01-01

    Increased metal concentration in the soils, up to toxic levels, is becoming an important environmental problem. Safety rule evolution will require solutions in order to cope with food safety rules, and to freeze metal leakage from heavily metal-poisoned soils, such as those from industrial fallows. In this context, plants could serve to develop bio-assays in order to promote new standards, more realistic than the mass of a given metal per kg of soil, that does not consider the metal bio-disponibility. Plants could also be used for phyto-extraction and/or phyto-stabilization. To reach these objectives, a genetic approach could be useful to generate metal-tolerant plants with enough biomass. In this work is more particularly studied the plant responses to metal toxicity. Metal toxicity for living organisms involves oxidative and /or genotoxic mechanisms. Plant protection against metal toxicity occurs, at least in part, through control of root metal uptake and of long distance metal transport. Inside cells, proteins such as ferritins and metallothioneins, and glutathione-derived peptides named phyto-chelatins, participate in excess metal storage and detoxification. Low molecular weight organic molecules, mainly organic acids and amino acids and their derivatives, also play an important role in plant metal homeostasis. When these systems are overloaded, oxidative stress defense mechanisms are activated. Molecular and cellular knowledge of these processes will be necessary to improve plant metal resistance. Occurrence of naturally tolerant plants which hyper accumulate metals provides helpful tools for this research. (authors) 130 refs.

  19. Separations chemistry of toxic metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, P.; Barr, M.; Barrans, R.

    1996-01-01

    Sequestering and removing toxic metal ions from their surroundings is an increasingly active area of research and is gaining importance in light of current environmental contamination problems both within the DOE complex and externally. One method of separating metal ions is to complex them to a molecule (a ligand or chelator) which exhibits specific binding affinity for a toxic metal, even in the presence of other more benign metals. This approach makes use of the sometimes subtle differences between toxic and non-toxic metals resulting from variations in size, charge and shape. For example, toxic metals such as chromium, arsenic, and technetium exist in the environment as oxyanions, negatively charged species with a characteristic tetrahedral shape. Other toxic metals such as actinides and heavy metals are positively charged spheres with specific affinities for particular donor atoms such as oxygen (for actinides) and nitrogen (for heavy metals). In most cases the toxic metals are found in the presence of much larger quantities of less toxic metals such as sodium, calcium and iron. The selectivity of the chelators is critical to the goal of removing the toxic metals from their less toxic counterparts. The approach was to build a ligand framework that complements the unique characteristics of the toxic metal (size, charge and shape) while minimizing interactions with non-toxic metals. The authors have designed ligands exhibiting specificity for the target metals; they have synthesized, characterized and tested these ligands; and they have shown that they exhibit the proposed selectivity and cooperative binding effects

  20. Metal porphyrin intercalated reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite utilized for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingyan Wang

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we report a simple and facile self-assembly method to successfully fabricate cationic metal porphyrin –MtTMPyP (Mt= Cobalt (II, Manganese (III, or Iron (III; TMPyP = 5, 10, 15, 20-tetrakis (N-methylpyridinium-4-yl porphyrin intercalated into the layer of graphene oxide (GO by the cooperative effects of electrostatic and π–π stacking interaction between positively charged metal porphyrin and negatively charged GO sheets. Followed by reduction with hydrazine vapor, a series of novel 2D MtTMPyP/rGOn were fabricated. The as-prepared 2D hybrids were fully characterized and tested as non-noble metal catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR in an alkaline medium. The MtTMPyP/rGOn hybrids, especially CoTMPyP/rGO5, demonstrated an improved electrocatalytic activity for ORR and a number of exchanged electrons close to 4-electron reaction, increased stability and excellent tolerance to methanol, showing a potential alternative catalyst for ORR in fuel cells and air batteries. Keywords: Metal porphyrin, Reduced graphene oxide, Intercalation, Oxygen reduction reaction, Catalyst