Constructing Binder- and Carbon Additive-Free Organosulfur Cathodes Based on Conducting Thiol-Polymers through Electropolymerization for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Herein, the concept of constructing binder- and carbon additive-free organosulfur cathode was proved based on thiol-containing conducting polymer poly(4-(thiophene-3-yl) benzenethiol) (PTBT). The PTBT featured the polythiophene-structure main chain as a highly conducting framework and the benzenethiol side chain to copolymerize with sulfur and form a crosslinked organosulfur polymer (namely S/PTBT). Meanwhile, it could be in-situ deposited on the current collector by electro-polymerization, making it a binder-free and free-standing cathode for Li-S batteries. The S/PTBT cathode exhibited a reversible capacity of around 870 mAh g^-1 at 0.1 C and improved cycling performance compared to the physically mixed cathode (namely S&PTBT). This multifunction cathode eliminated the influence of the additives (carbon/binder), making it suitable to be applied as a model electrode for operando analysis. Operando X-ray imaging revealed the remarkable effect in the suppression of polysulfides shuttle via introducing covalent bonds, paving the way for the study of the intrinsic mechanisms in Li-S batteries.

The Nanostructure of Water-in-Salt Electrolytes Revisited: Effect of the Anion Size

The increasing interest in developing safe and sustainable energy storage systems has led to the rapid rise in attention to superconcentrated electrolytes, commonly called water-in-salt (WiS). Several works indicate that the transport properties of these liquid electrolytes are related to the presence of nanodomains, but a detailed characterization of such structure is missing. Here, the structural nano-heterogeneity of lithium WiS electrolytes, comprising lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiTf) and bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) solutions as a function of concentration and temperature, was assessed by resorting to the analysis of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) patterns. Variations with the concentration of a correlation peak, rather temperature-independent, in a Q range around 3.5-5 nm^-1 indicate that these electrolytes are composed of nanometric water-rich channels percolating a 3D dispersing anion-rich network, with differences between Tf and TFSI anions related to their distinct volumes and interactions. Furthermore, a common trend was found for both systems' morphology above a salt volume fraction of ∼0.5. These results imply that the determining factor in the formation of the nanostructure is the salt volume fraction (related to the anion size), rather than its molality. These findings may represent a paradigm shift for designing WiS electrolytes.

Solid Electrolyte Interphase Layer Formation during Lithiation of Single-Crystal Silicon Electrodes with a Protective Aluminum Oxide Coating

The lithiation of crystalline silicon was studied over several cycles using operando neutron reflectometry over six cycles. A thin layer of aluminum oxide was employed as an artificial coating on the silicon to suppress the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer-related aging effects. Initially, the artificial SEI prevented side effects but led to increased lithium trapping. This layer degraded after two cycles, followed by side reactions, which decrease the coulombic efficiency. No hint for electrode fracturization was found even though the lithiation depth exceeded 1 μm. Two distinct zones with high and low lithium concentrations were found, initially separated by a sharp interface, which broadens with cycling. The correlation of the reflectometry results with the electrochemical current showed the lithium fraction that is lithiated in the silicon and the lithium consumed in side reactions. Also, neutron reflectometry was used to quantify the amount of lithium that remained inside of the silicon. Additional electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to gain insights into the electrical properties of the sample via fitting to an equivalent circuit.

Detailed and Direct Observation of Sulfur Crystal Evolution During Operando Analysis of a Li-S Cell with Synchrotron Imaging

Herein, we present a detailed investigation of the electrochemically triggered formation and dissolution processes of α- and β-sulfur crystals on a monolithic carbon cathode using operando high-resolution synchrotron radiography (438 nm/pixel). The combination of visual monitoring with the electrical current response during cyclic voltammetry provides valuable insights into the sulfur formation and dissolution mechanism. Our observations show that the crystal growth process is mainly dictated by a rapid equilibrium between long-chain polysulfides on one side and solid sulfur/short-chain polysulfides on the other side, which is consistent with previous studies in this field. The high temporal and spatial resolution of synchrotron imaging enables the observation of different regimes during the sulfur formation and dissolution process. The appearance of short-chain polysulfides after the first anodic CV peak initiates a rapid dissolution process of α-sulfur crystals on the cathode. The increase in the long-chain lithium polysulfide concentration at the cathode surface during charge results in an increased crystal growth rate, which in turn produces imperfections in α- and β-sulfur crystals. There are strong indications that these defects are fluid inclusions, which may trap dissolved polysulfides and therefore reduce the electrochemical cell capacity.

Mechanism of the Oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-Tetramethylbenzidine Catalyzed by Peroxidase-Like Pt Nanoparticles Immobilized in Spherical Polyelectrolyte Brushes: A Kinetic Study

Experimental and kinetic modelling studies are presented to investigate the mechanism of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) oxidation by hydrogen peroxide (H₂ O₂ ) catalyzed by peroxidase-like Pt nanoparticles immobilized in spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPB-Pt). Due to the high stability of SPB-Pt colloidal, this reaction can be monitored precisely in situ by UV/VIS spectroscopy. The time-dependent concentration of the blue-colored oxidation product of TMB expressed by different kinetic models was used to simulate the experimental data by a genetic fitting algorithm. After falsifying the models with abundant experimental data, it is found that both H₂ O₂ and TMB adsorb on the surface of Pt nanoparticles to react, indicating that the reaction follows the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. A true rate constant k, characterizing the rate-determining step of the reaction and which is independent on the amount of catalysts used, is obtained for the first time. Furthermore, it is found that the product adsorbes strongly on the surface of nanoparticles, thus inhibiting the reaction. The entire analysis provides a new perspective to study the catalytic mechanism and evaluate the catalytic activity of the peroxidase-like nanoparticles.

Operando Analysis of a Lithium/Sulfur Battery by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

This study reports the use of operando small-angle neutron scattering to investigate processes in an operating Li/S battery. The combination with impedance spectroscopy yields valuable insights into the precipitation and dissolution of lithium sulfide during 10 cycles of galvanostatic cycling. The use of a deuterated electrolyte increases strongly the sensitivity to detect the sulfur and Li₂S precipitates at the carbon host electrode and allows us to observe the time-dependent initial wetting of the system. No correlation of the scattering signal of the micropores with either lithium sulfide or sulfur is observable during the whole course of the experiment. Hence both reaction products do not precipitate inside the microporous structure but on the outer surface of the micrometer-sized carbon fibers used in this study. The excellent scattering contrast allows a detailed analysis of the formation and dissolution process of nanoscopic Li₂S structures. While lithium sulfide particles grow homogeneously during the precipitation period, smaller Li₂S particles dissolve first followed by a sudden dissolution of the larger Li₂S particles.

Lithiation of Crystalline Silicon As Analyzed by Operando Neutron Reflectivity

We present an operando neutron reflectometry study on the electrochemical incorporation of lithium into crystalline silicon for battery applications. Neutron reflectivity is measured from the ⟨100⟩ surface of a silicon single crystal which is used as a negative electrode in an electrochemical cell. The strong scattering contrast between Si and Li due to the negative scattering length of Li leads to a precise depth profile of Li within the Si anode as a function of time. The operando cell can be used to study the uptake and the release of Li over several cycles. Lithiation starts with the formation of a lithium enrichment zone during the first charge step. The uptake of Li can be divided into a highly lithiated zone at the surface (skin region) (x ∼ 2.5 in LixSi) and a much less lithiated zone deep into the crystal (growth region) (x ∼ 0.1 in LixSi). The total depth of penetration was less than 100 nm in all experiments. The thickness of the highly lithiated zone is the same for the first and second cycle, whereas the thickness of the less lithiated zone is larger for the second lithiation. A surface layer of lithium (x ∼ 1.1) remains in the silicon electrode after delithiation. Moreover, a solid electrolyte interface is formed and dissolved during the entire cycling. The operando analysis presented here demonstrates that neutron reflectivity allows the tracking of the kinetics of lithiation and delithiation of silicon with high spatial and temporal resolution.

Multidimensional operando analysis of macroscopic structure evolution in lithium sulfur cells by X-ray radiography

Lithium sulfur cells are the most promising candidate for the post lithium-ion battery era. Their major drawback is rapid capacity fading attributed to the complex electrochemical processes during charge and discharge which are not known precisely. Here we present for the first time a multidimensional operando measurement by combining X-ray radiography with impedance spectroscopy while galvanostatically charging and discharging a lithium sulfur cell. The formation of macroscopic sulfur crystals at the end of charge can be seen directly by X-ray radiography. These crystals can be assigned to stable α-sulfur (rhombic) and metastable β-sulfur (monoclinic) by their characteristic crystal habit. These crystal structures with a length of more than 1 mm form and dissolve rapidly during cycling. Their appearance is accompanied by characteristic signals in impedance spectroscopy. Macroscopic crystals of Li2S cannot be observed in full agreement with earlier studies by operando X-ray diffraction. In addition, X-ray radiography reveals non-wetted areas on the carbon cathode. These regions grow during discharge and are reduced during charge. The area of these electrochemically inactive spots is inversely proportional to discharge capacity.

Effects of visual span on reading speed and parafoveal processing in eye movements during sentence reading

The visual span (or ‘‘uncrowded window’’), which limits the sensory information on each fixation, has been shown to determine reading speed in tasks involving rapid serial visual presentation of single words. The present study investigated whether this is also true for fixation durations during sentence reading when all words are presented at the same time and parafoveal preview of words prior to fixation typically reduces later word-recognition times. If so, a larger visual span may allow more efficient parafoveal processing and thus faster reading. In order to test this hypothesis, visual span profiles (VSPs) were collected from 60 participants and related to data from an eye-tracking reading experiment. The results confirmed a positive relationship between the readers’ VSPs and fixation-based reading speed. However, this relationship was not determined by parafoveal processing. There was no evidence that individual differences in VSPs predicted differences in parafoveal preview benefit. Nevertheless, preview benefit correlated with reading speed, suggesting an independent effect on oculomotor control during reading. In summary, the present results indicate a more complex relationship between the visual span, parafoveal processing, and reading speed than initially assumed.

Soft conductive elastomer materials for stretchable electronics and voltage controlled artificial muscles

Block copolymer elastomer conductors (BEC) are mixtures of block copolymers grafted with conducting polymers, which are found to support very large strains, while retaining a high level of conductivity. These novel materials may find use in stretchable electronics. The use of BEC is demonstrated in a capacitive strain sensor and in an artificial muscle of the dielectric elastomer actuator type, supporting more than 100% actuation strain and capacity strain sensitivity up to 300%.

Polychloroprene: a new material for Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

Dielectric Elastomer Actuators (DEAs) consist of an elastomeric layer sandwiched between two compliant electrodes. An electric field applied between the two electrodes will lead to a compression of the elastomer due to the Maxwell’s pressure. DEA can be used for many active applications such as pumps, muscles and so on, where the voltage drives the motion, but they can also operate inversely for energy harvesting or for sensor applications, when the displacement of charges due to a change in thickness is stored or detected. Energy harvesting systems like buoys using wave energy or shoe soles extracting energy from walking have been demonstrated. In this contribution we investigate polychloroprene (CR) as a new material for DEA and describe its potential for use in energy harvesting. To this end, a full characterization of the material properties was undertaken. We find that the very high permittivity combined with good mechanical properties makes this material a promising novel candidate for the energy harvesting application.

Broad-spectrum enhancement of polymer composite dielectric constant at ultralow volume fractions of silica-supported copper nanoparticles

A new strategy for the synthesis of high permittivity polymer composites is demonstrated based on well-defined spatial distribution of ultralow amounts of conductive nanoparticles. The spatial distribution was realized by immobilizing Cu nanoparticles within the pore system of silica microspheres, preventing direct contact between individual Cu particles. Both Cu-loaded and unloaded silica microspheres were then used as fillers in polymer composites prepared with thermoplastic SEBS rubber as the matrix. With a metallic Cu content of about 0.10 vol % [corrected] in the composite, a relative increase of 94% in real permittivity was obtained. No Cu-induced relaxations were observed in the dielectric spectrum within the studied frequency range of 0.1 Hz to 1 MHz. When related to the amount of conductive nanoparticles, the obtained composites achieve the highest broad-spectrum enhancement of permittivity ever reported for a polymer-based composite.

Involvement of Intracellular Ca2+in the Regulation of Bovine Leukemia Virus Expression

The calcium ionophore A23187, which was used to increase the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), was analyzed for effects on bovine leukemia virus (BLV) expression in two BLV infected cell lines. To clarify the role of intracellular free calcium in this response, [Ca2+]i was measured during ionophore treatment with the fluorescent calcium indicator Fura-2. Elevation of intracellular calcium under these conditions caused an enhancement of BLV gp51 and p24 synthesis as well as an activation of the BLV long terminal repeat (LTR) in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, it was observed that elevated levels of intracellular calcium following A23187 stimulation lead to activation of NF-kappaB. Based on inhibitor studies, we hypothesize that the effect of A23187 on BLV expression appears to be mediated by PKC.

Increase of antigen production in BLV-infected cell lines via additional expression of tax

The selection of animals infected with the bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) is performed by the immunological detection of antibodies against the virus, commonly using the antigen gp51. Furthermore, research is being carried out to develop protective vaccines against BLV that have gp51 as their main component. Taking both of these factors into account, it is clear that there will be an increasing requirement for the virus antigen gp51 for some time to come. The permanently BLV-infected foetal lamb kidney cell line FLK/BLV (and its sublines) has been proved to be the most useful culture for the mass production of the virus antigen. Stable cell lines producing higher quantities of BLV antigen have not been established, either by subcloning of the FLK/BLV or by infection of other permanent cells with BLV. Here, a report is made on efforts to increase the expression of gp51 in BLV-infected cells via the additional expression of homologous transactivating virus protein tax. Selectable tax expression vectors that integrate into the host cell genome were constructed using BL provirus DNA fragments. Highly productive FLK/BLV cells were transfected with these vectors. Following selection with G 418, gp51-producing cell lines were established and tested for their productivity for several months. Some tax-vector-containing cell lines have produced 1.5-2 times more gp51 than the highly productive parental control cell line FLK/BLV 44-1.

Depression--medical utilization and somatization

We screened 147 primary care patients for depression using depression rating scales and a psychiatric interview. In the one year after screening, the patients with depression visited and phoned their physicians more frequently and had more medical evaluations than the nondepressed control group. The patients with depression were more likely to have nonspecific or vague complaints and psychophysiologic or depressive symptoms than the control group; their family physicians during this same period were more likely to diagnose a psychophysiologic problem.

[Behavior of various parameters of lipid and energy metabolism. 6. Energy turnover in various lengths of time in rats fed a low- and high-fat diet]

Weanling Wistar rats were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or a low-fat diet (LFD) over 3 and 5-6 weeks. In both comparable groups the absorption of energy was almost the same. In the HFD animals glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH, E.C. 1.1.1.49) showed its well-known restrictive behaviour in the liver and also in the fatty tissues. After 3 weeks on the respective diet, the body fat content of the LFD animals was lower than that of the HFD animals. After 6 weeks on the respective diet, the body fat contents were nearly the same in the animals of both groups. The energy turnover was greater after 3 weeks on the diet than after 6 weeks, the significantly highest values being found in animals fed over 3 weeks. After 5 weeks on the respective diet, all the energy turnover values were at a lower level, but this was the same in both animal groups. It may be concluded that the fatty-acid synthesis de novo indicated by the G-6-PDH activity does not depend upon the experimental time, and is determined only by the amount of dietary fat. In contrast to this, the establishment of the energy turnover during the experimental time is subject to relatively great changes which might be correlated with the regulation of total fat retention in the body.

[Behavior of certain parameters of lipid and energy metabolism. 5. Effects of high-fat and low-fat diets on certain biochemical parameters in rat livers before and after change of diet]

Typical metabolic patterns are detectable in the livers of growing rats after feeding diets with high (25%) or low (2%) fat contents. In view of the elucidation of problems related to the regulation of the metabolic processes, it is of interest to know in what way these metabolic patterns change after short-time change from the one diet to the other and if there are hierarchies. Within 2 days after change of diet, the enzymes glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, NAD-malate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase and fatty acid synthase were affected, only the 3'.5'-c AMP-splitting phosphodieterase showed no change. The metabolites lactate and pyruvate also changed, inversely to lactate dehydrogenase activity, the lactate-pyruvate ratio remaining almost constant. Acetyl CoA also responded in a characteristic manner. The single parameters were differently affected by the kind of the change of diet (from high-fat to low-fat diet or inversely). For example, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase responded very rapidly to the change from the high-fat to the low-fat diet, malate dehydrogenase behaved inversely, and citrate synthase responded to both changes. Consequently, the regulatory processes after change of diet start from different sides. It is thinkable that this behaviour is related to the different roles of the determined parameters in fat and energy metabolism.

[Behavior of certain parameters of lipid and energy metabolism. IV. Regulation of lipid and energy metabolism in livers and race and mini pigs]

To characterize the lipid and the energy metabolism in the livers of genetically different types of pigs (land race pig and mini pig), the authors determined the activities of enzymes typical of and limiting these metabolic pathways. Furthermore, they measured the concentrations of typical metabolites and ascertained parameters that are of importance in energy metabolism. The concentrations of acetyl CoA and free fatty acids in the livers of mini pigs were significantly greater than those in the livers of land race pigs, whereas the cholesterol, glycerol, triglyceride and acetoacetate concentrations were reduced. The activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (E.C.1.1.1.49.), citrate synthase (E.C.4.1.3.7.) and ATP citrate lyase (E.C.4.1.3.8.) were lower in the livers of mini pigs than in the livers of land race pigs, whereas the activity of fatty acid synthase was higher. The concentrations of cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) were lower in the livers of mini pigs than in those of land race pigs. In land race pigs, the metabolic process seems, therefore, to be determined in favour of the degradation of free fatty acids and of the generation of energy. In mini pigs, lipogenesis in the liver appears to be the decisive metabolic pathway. The possibility of a higher coordinating control mechanism of the lipid and the energy metabolism is discussed.

[Behavior of some parameters of lipid and energy metabolism. 1. Behavior of the stationary concentrations of acetyl CoA, acetoacetate and adenosine phosphates in liver, as well as oxygen consumption and P/O ratios in liver homogenates of growing rats on diets differing in fat content]

Young rats were maintained on diets differing in fat content. The determination of certain parameters of the lipid and the energy metabolism in the liver showed that a high-fat diet resulted in a reduction of the stationary level of acetyl CoA, an increase in the concentration of acetoacetate and a reduction of the adenosine triphosphate content and the so-called energy charge. In case of intact respiratory chain phosphorylation, the oxygen consumption of the respective liver homogenates was simultaneously increased. The results obtained with a high-fat diet are indicative of the attainment of a metabolic state which seems to be typical of metabolic regulations in growing rats subjected to anabolic lipometabolism.

[Behavior of certain parameters of lipid and energy metabolism. 3. Relationships between cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate and acetyl coenzyme A in liver of growing rats deduced from model experiments with diets differeing in fat content]

Schemes of the lipid and the pyruvate metabolism serve to show that a great part of the enzymes which intervence in the metabolic pathways and are associated with the formation and the consumption of acetyl coenzyme A may be regulated by cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the sense of activation or inhibition. The cAMP increase in the liver, which has been demonstrated in the present study for a diet containing 25% of fat, opens the metabolic pathway to the formation of acetyl coenzyme A by means of fatty acid degradation and simultaneous inhibition of lipogenesis. The deficiency of insulin (which has been evidenced in previous paper) characterizes, together with the facts mentioned, a state like diabetes or the fasting state. Acetyl coenzyme A is mainly used for energy supply. The close negative correlation between cAMP and acetyl coenzyme A (which is shown in the present paper) permits to conclude that the extent and trend of the increase and decrease in the liver is subjected to intensive hormonal control in which cAMP in involved.

[Behavior of some parameters of lipid and energy metabolism. 2. Activity of citrate synthase, ATP citrate lyase, fatty acid synthase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in liver of growing rats on diets differing in fat content]

In continuation of previous investigations, the authors studied the behaviour of the activities of certain enzymes (citrate synthase, adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase, fatty acid synthase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) in the livers of growing rats on diets differing in fat content. A high-fat diet resulted in a reduction of the activities of fatty acid synthase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase, whereas the activity of citrate synthase increased, which is interpreted in the sense of an acceleration of the introduction of acetyl residues into the citrate cycle for the purpose of oxidative final degradation, and as a removal of acetyl CoA for the purpose of fatty acid synthesis.

[Effect of changing fat and protein levels on various fundamental characteristics of lipid and protein metabolism in the blood serum and on the body composition of growing rats]

A total of 263 young rats received 6 different diets containing varying levels of lipids and proteins. After a feeding period of not less than 3 weeks the animals were killed in a fasted state or after feeding and the blood serum was investigated for total lipids, free fatty acids, cholesterol, urea, creatinine and insulin. The bodies of the animals were analyzed for crude fat und crude protein. The body proteins seemed to be hardly influenced whereas considerable variations were noticed in the values for body fat, although these were not found to be clearly related to the intake of dietary fat. Values for the content of total lipids, free fatty acids and cholesterol in blood serum were shown to be clearly dependent on the amount of fat ingested. In addition, it was observed that these processes were partly influenced by dietary proteins. The values for urea, creatinine and insulin were only slightly affected by dietary fat, but were markedly changed by dietary proteins. Differences in total lipids and cholesterol as discussed above were blurred or disappeared altogether when the animals were analyzed after food intake; on the other hand, it was shown, that dietary proteins had a statistically well-established effect on the values for urea and a marked influence on insulin values.