In-situ PECVD-enabled graphene-V₂O₃ hybrid host for lithium–sulfur batteries

Song, Yingze,Zhao, Wen,Wei, Nan,Zhang, Li,Ding, Feng,Liu, Zhongfan,Sun, Jingyu Elsevier 2018 Nano energy Vol.53 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have been regarded as promising candidates for current energy-storage technologies due to their remarkable advantages in energy density and theoretical capacity. However, one of the daunting challenges remained for advanced Li–S systems thus far deals with the synchronous suppression of polysulfide (LiPS) shuttle and acceleration of redox kinetics. Herein, a cooperative interface bridging adsorptive V<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>3</SUB> and conductive graphene is constructed <I>in-situ</I> by virtue of direct plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), resulting in the design of a novel V<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>3</SUB>-graphene hybrid host to synergize the LiPS entrapment and conversion. The redox kinetics and electrochemical performances of thus-derived cathodes were accordingly enhanced owing to the smooth adsorption-diffusion-conversion of LiPSs even at a sulfur mass loading of 3.7 mg cm<SUP>–2</SUP>. Such interfacial engineering offers us a valuable opportunity to gain insight into the comprehensive regulation of LiPS anchoring ability, electrical conductivity and ion diffusive capability in hybrid hosts on suppressing the LiPS shuttle and propelling the redox kinetics. Our devised PECVD route might pave a new route toward the facial and economic design of hetero-phased multi-functional hosts for high-performance Li–S systems.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Graphene-V<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>3</SUB> hybrid host was designed <I>in-situ</I> based on PECVD route. </LI> <LI> Thus-derived cathode showed a low capacity decay of merely 0.046% per cycle at 2 C after 1000 cycles. </LI> <LI> Cathodes with a relatively high sulfur mass loading (3.7 mg cm<SUP>–2</SUP>) were fabricated. </LI> <LI> The smooth adsorption-diffusion-conversion of polysulfides was thoroughly probed <I>via</I> experimental studies and DFT simulations. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Identification and characterization of heat shock proteins in a parasitic wasp Chouioia cuneae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Li‐Na Pan,Feng-ZhuWANG,Xin-Yue ZHANG,Yan-Ni ZHAO,Geng-Ping ZHU,Min LI 한국곤충학회 2018 Entomological Research Vol.48 No.3

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are known to be induced in response to various stress factors. Although HSPs have been studied in a number of insects, not much is known about HSPs in the natural enemies of insects, especially parasitoids. In this study, we identified and characterized five full‐length HSP genes (Cchsp40, Cchsp60, Cchsp70, Cchsp83, and Cchsp90) from an endoparasitic chalcid wasp, Chouioia cunea, which parasitizes the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea pupae, a worldwide pest. The expression of Cchsps in response to temperature, pesticide stresses and UV radiation were also investigated by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). The results showed that all five Cchsps were induced in response to hot and cold temperatures. Four pesticides induced the abundant expression of Cchsp70, Cchsp83 and Cchsp90 while ultraviolet radiation up‐regulated Cchsp40, Cchsp70, Cchsp83 and Cchsp90. These results indicate the different transcriptional profiles of the five different Cchsps in response to various abiotic stresses. The findings of this study provide insights into the response of C. cunea to abiotic stresses and insight into the use of this parasitoid in biological control strategies.

Static analysis of 2D-FG nonlocal porous tube using gradient strain theory and based on the first and higher-order beam theory

Xiaozhong Zhang,Jian-Feng Li,Yan Cui,Mostafa Habibi,H. Elhosiny Ali,Ibrahim AlBaijan,Tayebeh Mahmoudi 국제구조공학회 2023 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.49 No.3

This article focuses on the study of the buckling behavior of two-dimensional functionally graded (2D-FG) nanosize tubes, including porosity, based on the first shear deformation and higher-order theory of the tube. The nano-scale tube is simulated using the nonlocal gradient strain theory, and the general equations and boundary conditions are derived using Hamilton’s principle for the Zhang-Fu’s tube model (as a higher-order theory) and Timoshenko beam theory. Finally, the derived equations are solved using a numerical method for both simply-supported and clamped boundary conditions. A parametric study is performed to investigate the effects of different parameters, such as axial and radial FG power indices, porosity parameter, and nonlocal gradient strain parameters, on the buckling behavior of the bi-dimensional functionally graded porous tube. Keywords: Nonlocal strain gradient theory; buckling; Zhang-Fu’s tube model; Timoshenko theory; Two-dimensional functionally graded materials; Nanotubes; Higher-order theory.

Synchronous immobilization and conversion of polysulfides on a VO₂-VN binary host targeting high sulfur load Li-S batteries

Song, Yingze,Zhao, Wen,Kong, Long,Zhang, Li,Zhu, Xingyu,Shao, Yuanlong,Ding, Feng,Zhang, Qiang,Sun, Jingyu,Liu, Zhongfan The Royal Society of Chemistry 2018 ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Vol.11 No.9

<P>Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are deemed as one of the most promising next-generation energy storage systems. However, their practical application is hindered by existing drawbacks such as poor cycling life and low Coulombic efficiency due to the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). We herein present an <I>in situ</I> constructed VO2-VN binary host which combines the merits of ultrafast anchoring (VO2) with electronic conducting (VN) to accomplish smooth immobilization-diffusion-conversion of LiPSs. Such synchronous advantages have effectively alleviated the polysulfide shuttling, promoted the redox kinetics, and hence improved the electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries. As a result, the sulfur cathode based on the VO2-VN/graphene host exhibited an impressive rate capability with ∼1105 and 935 mA h g<SUP>−1</SUP> at 1C and 2C, respectively, and maintained long-term cyclability with a low capacity decay of 0.06% per cycle within 800 cycles at 2C. More remarkably, favorable cyclic stability can be attained with a high sulfur loading (13.2 mg cm<SUP>−2</SUP>). Even at an elevated temperature (50 °C), the cathodes still delivered superior rate capacity. Our work emphasizes the importance of immobilization-diffusion-conversion of LiPSs toward the rational design of high-load and long-life Li-S batteries.</P>

Vanadium Dioxide-Graphene Composite with Ultrafast Anchoring Behavior of Polysulfides for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Song, Yingze,Zhao, Wen,Zhu, Xingyu,Zhang, Li,Li, Qiucheng,Ding, Feng,Liu, Zhongfan,Sun, Jingyu American Chemical Society 2018 ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES Vol.10 No.18

<P>The lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery has been deemed as one of the most promising energy-storage systems owing to its high energy density, low cost, and environmental benignancy. However, the capacity decay and kinetic sluggishness stemming from polysulfide shuttle effects have by far posed a great challenge to practical performance. We herein demonstrate the employment of low-cost, wet-chemistry-derived VO<SUB>2</SUB> nanobelts as the effective host additives for the graphene-based sulfur cathode. The VO<SUB>2</SUB> nanobelts displayed an ultrafast anchoring behavior of polysulfides, managing to completely decolor the polysulfide solution in 50 s. Such a fast and strong anchoring ability of VO<SUB>2</SUB> was further investigated and verified by experimental and theoretical investigations. Benefitting from the synergistic effect exerted by VO<SUB>2</SUB> in terms of chemical confinement and catalytic conversion of polysulfides, the Li-S batteries incorporating VO<SUB>2</SUB> and graphene manifested excellent cycling and rate performances. Notably, the batteries delivered an initial discharge capacity of 1405 mAh g<SUP>-1</SUP> when cycling at 0.2 C, showed an advanced rate performance of ∼830 mAh g<SUP>-1</SUP> at 2 C, and maintained a stable cycling performance at high current densities of 1, 2, and 5 C over 200 cycles, paving a practical route toward cost-effective and environmentally benign cathode design for high-energy Li-S batteries.</P> [FIG OMISSION]</BR>

Carbon-coated SnO₂@C with hierarchically porous structures and graphite layers inside for a high-performance lithium-ion battery

Li, Yao,Zhu, Shenmin,Liu, Qinglei,Gu, Jiajun,Guo, Zaiping,Chen, Zhixin,Feng, Chuanliang,Zhang, Di,Moon, Won-Jin The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012 Journal of materials chemistry Vol.22 No.6

<P>A high-performance anode material was prepared from a hierarchically structured activated carbon which contains <I>in situ</I> graphene and nano-graphite. The activated carbon was immersed in a solution of SnCl<SUB>2</SUB>·2H<SUB>2</SUB>O and subjected to ultrasound. As a result, nanoparticles of SnO<SUB>2</SUB> were uniformly deposited on the surface of the activated carbon. The composite material was then coated with a thin layer of carbon by soaking it in a sucrose solution, followed by carbonization of the adsorbed sucrose at 500 °C. The resulting composite showed an outstanding high-rate cycling performance that can deliver an initial discharge capacity of 1417 mAh g<SUP>−1</SUP> and maintain a discharge capacity of more than 400 mAh g<SUP>−1</SUP> after 100 cycles at a high current density of 1000 mA g<SUP>−1</SUP>. This outstanding electrochemical performance is likely to be related to a unique combination of the excellent electrical conductivity of the activated carbon with graphite layers formed inside, its hierarchical pore structure which enhances lithium-ion transportation, and the carbon coating which alleviates the effects of volume changes, shortens the distance for Li<SUP>+</SUP> diffusion, facilitates the transmission of electrons, and keeps the structure stable.</P> <P>Graphic Abstract</P><P>Carbon-coated SnO<SUB>2</SUB>@C nanocomposite with hierarchically porous structures and graphite layers inside was prepared by ultrasound and hydrothermal treatment, which showed an outstanding high-rate cycling performance for lithium-ion battery. <IMG SRC='http://pubs.rsc.org/services/images/RSCpubs.ePlatform.Service.FreeContent.ImageService.svc/ImageService/image/GA?id=c1jm14290a'> </P>

Wrinkled rGO Sheets-Wrapped Carbon Fibers with High Tensile Strength and Excellent Electrochemical Stability as Anodes for Structural Li-Ion Battery

Huagen Li,Shubin Wang,Mengjie Feng,Jiping Yang,Boming Zhang 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2018 NANO Vol.13 No.08

Herein, we report a hierarchical structure formed by wrinkled reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets-wrapped carbon fiber via a facile and efficient electrostatic self-assembly method and subsequent annealing treatment. For this material, the Weibull scale parameter is 4.77 GPa. After 100 cycles, the rGO@CF retains 91% of its second charge capacity at 50mA· g -1, corresponding to a capacity fading of only 0.09% per cycle. Thus, this structural anode material exhibits enhanced capacity, high initial Coulombic efficiency and high tensile strength. Meanwhile, the carbon fiber and interweaved rGO sheets together form the whole conductive networks to provide multichannel highways for charge transfer (lithium-ion diffusion and electron transport) during discharge–charge processes, promising excellent electrochemical performance of this structural anode material.

CO2 Adsorption on the B12N12 Nanocage Encapsulated with Alkali Metals: A Density Functional Study

Haiyan Zhu,Qiyan Zhang,Qinfu Zhao,He Zhao,Yifan Feng,Bingbing Suo,Huixian Han,Qi Song,Yawei Li,Wenli Zou,Haiyan Zhu 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2019 NANO Vol.14 No.3

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been carried out to study the capacity of the B12N12 nanocage encapsulated with alkali metals (Li, Na, K) for the CO2 adsorption and activation. It is found that after encapsulating alkali metals, the alkali metal atoms are closer to one side of clusters instead of exactly lying at the center, and a considerable charge transfers from the inner alkali metal atoms to the B12N12 cage. Besides, the HOMO–LUMO gap (HLG) values of Li@B12N12, Na@B12N12 and K@B12N12 are decreased to about 6 eV, being much smaller than that of the pristine B12N12. Although the geometry structure parameters and the energy differences of M06-2X are slightly different from the ones of ωB97X-D, some identical results of two kinds of functional can be obtained. CO2 can be adsorbed chemically and physically on majority bonds of all the clusters, except for some bonds with large change in bond length and bond indices. The encapsulation of alkali-metal atoms may enhance the physical and chemical adsorption of CO2 on the surface of the clusters, in which Na@B12N12 and K@B12N12 are the most powerful physical and chemical adsorbent for CO2, respectively.

Preparation of lithium-doped NaV6O15 thin film cathodes with high cycling performance in SIBs

Xu Hai-Yan,Ruan Jun Hai,Liu Fang Lin,Li Dong-Cai,Zhang Feng-Jun,Wang Ai-Guo,Sun Dao-Sheng,오원춘 한국세라믹학회 2022 한국세라믹학회지 Vol.59 No.3

Lithium ions-doped NaV6O15 thin films have been prepared using a simple low temperature liquid phase deposition method and subsequent annealing process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), scanning elec- tron microscopy (SEM), and photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been used to study the structural and physicochemical characteristics of the NaV6O15 film. The films were grown on the FTO conductive glass and used directly as an electrode of sodium ion batteries. The prepared lithium ions-doped NaV6O15 thin film electrodes showed an excellent cycling stability and discharge capacity, which may be attributed to the stability of the Li+ embedded into the gap between the V–O layers to maintain the structure and its stable β-phase structure transformed after the first cycle. The cycling stability greatly improved with increasing annealing temperature, while the discharge capacity decreased. The capacities of the film electrodes annealed at 400 °C and 450 °C maintained above 97% after 100 cycles. The lithium-doped NaV6O15 underwent a phase transition dur- ing the first charge/discharge cycle. The new transformed phase has perfect crystal structure stability undergoing insertion and deinsertion of Na+. Therefore, the lithium-doped NaV6O15 thin film possesses good cycling stability and is expected to be a promising thin film cathode for sodium-ion batteries.

Catalytic synthesis and enhanced Curie temperature of ε-Fe₃N@C nanostructure synthesized in a tetraethylenepentamine solution

Li, Yong,Pan, Desheng,Li, Da,Feng, Yang,Choi, C.J.,Liu, Wei,Zhang, Zhidong Elsevier 2018 Journal of magnetism and magnetic materials Vol.465 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>ε-Fe<SUB>3</SUB>N@C nanocrystals without oxidation are one-pot synthesized by using the iron(II) acetylacetonate and tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) as Fe and N precursors under a low temperature (533 K) in the presence of a small quantity of Pt atoms as the co-catalyst. The ε-Fe<SUB>3</SUB>N@C nanoparticles with a core-shell structure are nearly spherical and have a wide particle size distribution of 100–500 nm in diameter. Fe nanoparticles obtained by reduction of Fe<SUP>2+</SUP> with TEPA are an effective catalyzer for decomposing TEPA to produce N and C atoms at a temperature much lower than the boiling point of TEPA. The diffusion of N atoms into Fe nanoparticles for the formation of ε-Fe<SUB>3</SUB>N@C is proposed, based on the results obtained by kinetically controlling the synthetic temperature and surfactants. The ε-Fe<SUB>3</SUB>N@C nanoparticles have an excellent saturation magnetization of 135.5 emu/g at room temperature. A significantly enhanced Curie temperature (T<SUB>C</SUB>) of 614 K is reached in the present ε-Fe<SUB>3</SUB>N@C nanoparticles, which is much higher than the T<SUB>C</SUB> values in the previously reported ε-Fe<SUB>3</SUB>N<SUB>x</SUB>.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Tetraethylenepentamine is proposed as a new N source to synthesize Fe nitride. </LI> <LI> Core-shelled ε-Fe<SUB>3</SUB>N@C nanoparticles are one-pot synthesized at 260 °C. </LI> <LI> Curie temperature of ε-Fe<SUB>3</SUB>N is significantly enhanced to 614 K. </LI> <LI> ε-Fe<SUB>3</SUB>N@C shows a high saturation magnetization of 135.5 emu/g at 300 K. </LI> </UL> </P>