Storage Ability Research Articles

Intrinsic Solution to the Dilemma between High-Efficiency and External-Field-Free Spin-Orbit Torque Switching Based on Biaxial Devices.

Spin-orbit torque (SOT) is widely considered to be a fast and robust writing scheme for magnetic random-access memories (MRAMs). However, the requirements of field-free switching and high switching efficiency are often incompatible in SOT devices, placing a critical challenge on its improvement. Here we propose that by utilizing biaxial systems the dilemma between high-efficiency and external-field-free SOT switching can be solved intrinsically. We further demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed writing scheme in a MgO/Fe/W device and show that the intrinsic multistate storage ability of the biaxial device compensates its additional area requirement. These results are expected to pave the way toward the further development of SOT-MRAMs.

A safe and robust in-situ polymerized cementitious electrolyte coupled with NiCo2S4@CuCo2S4 electrode for superior load-bearing integrated electrochemical capacitor.

Load bearing/energy storage integrated devices (LEIDs) featuring cementitious electrolytes have become ideal for large-scale energy storage. Nevertheless, the progression of LEIDs is still in its nascent phase and considerable endeavors concerning cementitious electrolytes and electrode materials are necessary to further boost the charge storage ability. Here, we propose a facile synchronous reaction method for preparing sodium acrylate (SA)-based in-situ polymerized cementitious electrolyte. The soft polymer network and hard cement matrix are interwoven together. The resulting cementitious electrolyte not only exhibits improved mechanical properties (flexural strength of 14.7MPa and compressive strength of 44.7MPa), but also possesses enhanced ionic conductivity (26.7mScm-1). Moreover, a core-shell NiCo2S4@CuCo2S4/NF heterostructure is synthesized on nickel foam (NF) substrate by hydrothermal assisted electrodeposition techniques, which showcases a remarkable capacitance of 5626.6mFcm-2 at 1mAcm-2. As a proof, with integrated merits of the optimal cementitious electrolyte and NiCo2S4@CuCo2S4/NF electrode, the as-built LEID demonstrates a high energy density of 138.5μWhcm-2 at 0.75mWcm-2 and a cycling durability of 90.7% after 8000 cycles, showing good practicability in lighting light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or driving a thermal hygrometer. Notably, the LEID can endure external forces without distinctly sacrificing electrochemical properties. This work provides insight into developing novel cementitious electrolytes and electrode materials toward superior LEIDs.

Dual Active Site Covalent Organic Framework Anode Enables Stable Aqueous Proton Batteries

Aqueous proton batteries (APBs) have attracted increasing interest owing to their potential for grid‐scale energy storage with extraordinary sustainability and excellent rate abilities. However, there are limited anode materials and it remains a great challenge to effectively balance capacity and cycling performance. Here, we report a covalent organic framework containing C=O and C=N dual active sites (TABQ‐COF) as a high‐capacity and long‐cycle anode for proton batteries. The proton storage ability of the dual active sites and the up to nine proton redox chemistry mechanisms for each repetitive unit have been demonstrated by experiments and density functional theory calculations. The insoluble TABQ‐COF electrode displayed a remarkably high specific capacity of 401 mAh g−1, outstanding cycling stability (100% capacity retention after 7500 cycles) and high rate performance (90 mAh g−1 at 50 A g−1). When coupling with a MnO2 cathode, the constructed TABQ‐COF//MnO2 battery achieves a reversible capacity of 247 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1, with a remarkable capacity retention of 100% over 10000 cycles. Furthermore, the TABQ‐COF//MnO2 battery can operate well and shows high capacity and cycle stability in a frozen electrolyte at −40°C, implying great potential for energy storage at extreme temperatures.

Dual Active Site Covalent Organic Framework Anode Enables Stable Aqueous Proton Batteries.

Aqueous proton batteries(APBs) have attracted increasing interest owing to their potential for grid-scale energy storage with extraordinary sustainability and excellent rate abilities. However, there are limited anode materials and it remains a great challenge to effectively balance capacity and cycling performance. Here, we report a covalent organic framework containing C=O and C=N dual active sites (TABQ-COF) as a high-capacity and long-cycle anode for proton batteries. The proton storage ability of the dual active sites and the up to nine proton redox chemistry mechanisms for each repetitive unit have been demonstrated by experiments and density functional theory calculations. The insoluble TABQ-COF electrode displayed a remarkably high specific capacity of 401 mAh g-1, outstanding cycling stability (100% capacity retention after 7500 cycles) and high rate performance (90 mAh g-1 at 50 A g-1). When coupling with a MnO2 cathode, the constructed TABQ-COF//MnO2 battery achieves a reversible capacity of 247 mAh g-1 at 5 A g-1,with a remarkable capacity retention of 100% over 10000 cycles. Furthermore, the TABQ-COF//MnO2 battery can operate well and shows high capacity and cycle stability in a frozen electrolyte at -40°C, implying great potential for energy storage at extreme temperatures.

Control of Unexpected Mucor lusitanicus in Litchi Fruit by Hydrocooling with Hypochlorous Acid and Cold Storage

Litchi fruit (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is highly perishable because its shelf life is significantly limited by pericarp browning and microbial spoilage. While sulfur dioxide (SO2) fumigation has been traditionally used to preserve color and reduce spoilage, concerns over potential health risks have prompted the exploration of safer alternatives. This study investigated the application of hypochlorous acid (HClO) as an alternative treatment during postharvest processes to mitigate pathological decay, targeting Mucor lusitanicus, a fungus primarily responsible for litchi fruit rot in Taiwan. In vitro experiments demonstrated that M. lusitanicus growth was completely inhibited by HClO concentrations at 40 mg L−1 or higher, as well as by temperatures below 1 °C. In vivo experiments further revealed that disease symptoms in inoculated litchi fruit were fully suppressed at 25 °C for seven days after hydrocooling with HClO. When 40 mg L−1 HClO treatment was combined with hydrocooling and subsequent storage at 5 °C, the decay ratio of litchi fruit was reduced to below 3% after 21-day storage. The browning index and disease incidence of litchi fruit hydrocooled with an 8 h hydrocooling delay were significantly lower than those with a 12 h hydrocooling delay after 21 days at 5 °C, followed by 1 day at 26 °C. Therefore, hydrocooling within 8 h of harvest is recommended for commercial scales. This treatment effectively prevented pericarp browning and maintained total soluble solid levels, ensuring the quality. These findings suggest that integrating HClO with hydrocooling not only decreases spoilage and delays pericarp browning but also offers a viable alternative to traditional SO2 fumigation, optimizing the postharvest process and enhancing food safety. This approach can extend the storage ability of litchi fruit while maintaining its quality, providing a safer method for local and international markets.

Recent progresses in the synthesis and strategic designs of sustainable carbon-based fibrous electrodes for flexible batteries

A detailed review on carbon fiber (CF)-based flexible electrodes for application in rechargeable batteries is reported. Various preparation methods for flexible electrodes based on CFs are reviewed, along with their performance evaluations.

Recycling of acidic iron wastewater for production of iron oxalate anode material with superior long cycling lithium storage ability

Recycling of acidic iron wastewater for production of iron oxalate anode material with superior long cycling lithium storage ability

Ultralow Voltage High-Performance Nanocellulose-Based Electro-Ionic Actuators for Soft Robots.

High-performance eco-friendly soft actuators showing large displacement, fast response, and long-term operational capability require further development for next-generation bioinspired soft robots. Herein, we report an electro-ionic soft actuator based on carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals (CCNC) and carboxylated cellulose nanofibers (CCNF), graphene nanoplatelets (GN), and ionic liquid (IL). The actuator exhibited exceptional actuation performances, achieving large displacements ranging from 1.6 to 12.3 mm under ultralow actuation voltages of 0.25-1.5 V. It also operated stably across a broad frequency band from 0.1 to 10 Hz and displayed a significant working stability of 99.3% after up to 240 cycles. Remarkably, the electro-active actuator demonstrated a fast response (0.39 s delay under 1.0 V at 0.1 Hz), and a long lifespan (with only a minor decrease of 2% for 2 years). The enhanced actuation performances of the actuator were attributed to its superior ionic conductivity, high charge storage ability, strong ionic interaction, and physical-chemical cross-linked networks. Furthermore, we successfully demonstrated the bioinspired applications of CCNC/CCNF-IL-GN actuators including micro-grippers, spiral-structure electroactive stents, biomimetic fingers, and bionic dragonfly wings. The proposed actuator and its bioinspired robot designs could offer a significant way for the development of next-generation eco-friendly soft actuators, soft robots, and biomedical microdevices in microenvironments requiring low-voltage environment.

Multifunctional Polymer-Encapsulated Aerogel Fibers with Thermal Insulation, Active Heating, and Phase Change Energy Storage Abilities

Multifunctional Polymer-Encapsulated Aerogel Fibers with Thermal Insulation, Active Heating, and Phase Change Energy Storage Abilities

Solar Energy-Promoted Bisphenol A Degradation with Immobilized Laccase in an Fe3O4-Embedded Metal-Organic Framework.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-recognized endocrine-disrupting chemical that poses risks to both human health and the environment. Laccase can effectively biodegrade bisphenol A, but the low environmental temperature (∼25 °C) restricts the biodegradation efficiency. In this study, the enzyme laccase and Fe3O4 with solar-thermal conversion capability were coimmobilized into zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (Lac@ZIF-8-Fe3O4) to facilitate efficient biodegradation of bisphenol A under simulated solar irradiation. Compared to free laccase, Lac@ZIF-8-Fe3O4 exhibited high activity recovery (115.5%), an ∼39% increased catalytic constant, more effective bisphenol A biodegradation (up to 24-fold) at extensive bisphenol A concentrations (5-100 mg/L), excellent thermal stability (50 °C, 12 h), acid-tolerance (pH 3), and storage ability in 10 days. Simulated solar irradiation (1 kW/m2) increased the temperature of Lac@ZIF-8-Fe3O4 solution (10 μg laccase/mL) from 25 to 42.5 °C within 15 min, resulting in 96.4% biodegradation of bisphenol A within 60 min, nearly double the biodegradation efficiency under dark condition (55.9%). Furthermore, Lac@ZIF-8-Fe3O4 maintained 99.0% biodegradation efficiency even after 12 recycles of use under simulated solar irradiation (5 mg/L bisphenol A, 80 min/cycle). This work has thus offered efficient biocatalysis for integrating solar-energy promotion and enzymatic catalysis in treating environmental BPA pollutants. Further, the experimental findings benefited from the development of more sustainable and high-performance immobilized enzyme preparations for pollutant treatment via solar-thermal promotions.

Al2O3-Induced Phase Conversion Regulation of WS2 Anode Enhances the Lithium Storage Reversibility.

WS2 is an attractive anode in alkali metal ion batteries (AMIBs) due to its 2D-layered structure and high theoretical capacity. However, the shuttle effect of sulfur and the spontaneous growth of W nanoparticles are key issues that limit the alkali-ion accommodation ability. Now, it is still a great challenge to achieve in situ control of the microstructure evolution paths in enclosed batteries for extending the cycling reversibility/lifespan. Herein, the phase conversion paths of both film- and powder-type WS2 anodes are investigated in lithium-ion batteries. It is found that the reversible conversion mechanism is beneficial for alleviating the shuttle effect through strong W-LixSy bonding. Also, once the size of the phase-converted W/WS2 redox pair exceeds ∼10 nm inside the anode layer, the Li+ storage ability will severely decay due to uncontrollable W precipitation. To maintain high reversibility, amorphous Al2O3 is introduced upon pristine WS2. After initializing the battery test, the particle size of the W/WS2 redox pair is in situ modulated within the range of ∼3-5 nm because of the refinement effect of gradually pulverized Al2O3. Thus, the decay suppression effect lasting over 750-1400 cycles is obtained with enhanced W ↔ WS2 conversion efficiency and good capacity retention. This is expected to promote the optimization of Mo-group sulfides/selenides/tellurides toward AMIBs.

Carbon Dots with Charge Storage Ability Promote the Red Emission of TFB via Carrier Secondary Injection.

Dual-emission light-emitting diodes (DEDs) have great promising applications in medical imaging, optical communication, data storage, and three-dimensional display. The precise material design and advanced packaging technology for the construction of DEDs are still key challenges for practical application. We demonstrate a straightforward strategy to construct DEDs that deviates from traditional approaches, utilizing commercially available luminescent material of poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-N-(4-(3-methylpropyl))diphenylamine) (TFB) and carbon dots (CDs). In the DEDs, the mixture of CDs and TFB was used as the luminescent layer, which exhibits dual-wavelength emission located at 436 and 632 nm, respectively. Notably, the CDs, with charge storage ability, can store the interfacial charges, reinject the carriers into TFB, and then facilitate the long-wavelength (632 nm) emission from TFB. This work provides a new way for the design and construction of fresh DEDs through the CD-based interfacial charge transport process.

Effect of squeeze motion on the tribo-performances of molybdenum disulfide powder lubricated textured cemented carbide specimens

Purpose This study aims to improve the lubrication performance of molybdenum disulfide powders at textured surface of cemented carbide materials, a squeeze motion of vibration assistance method was introduced and investigated. Design/methodology/approach Surface texture was fabricated on YT15 cemented carbide samples using a laser marking machine. After that, a tribological experiment was carried out on a self-built friction testing machine under different amplitude and frequency of squeeze motion conditions. Moreover, a simulation model was also established to verify the principle of squeeze motion on the lubrication performance improving of MoS2 particles at textured interfaces. Findings Analysis results indicated that surface texture on test sample can increase the storage ability of solid lubrication particles, and the lubrication film at the contact interface is more easily formed due to the reciprocating action. Squeeze motion can improve the storage ability of it due to an intermittent contact, which provides an opportunity for MoS2 particles infiltration, and then a more uniform distribution and load-bearing properties of force chain are also established and formed simultaneously. Thus, a better tribological performance at the contact interface is obtained. Originality/value The main contribution of this work is to provide a reference for the molybdenum disulfide powder lubrication with textured surface of cemented carbide materials. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-05-2024-0166/

Exercise Induced Changes in the Hippocampal Proteome of Mice during Aging

Clinical studies suggest that regular and moderate physical activity has a positive influence on the general health of individuals, including neuro-psychological well-being. In particular, physical exercise can improve memory storage and learning ability, thus reducing the risk of developing serious neurodegenerative diseases and some forms of dementia. The same should happen for brain aging, where cognitive decline has been mainly related to dysregulation of synaptic function, in turn associated with changes in multiple intracellular processes, including protein turnover and activity that appear to be crucial in brain aging. Since the influence of physical exercise on this aspect is not yet clear, the aim of our investigation was to evaluate, through proteomic analysis, whether physical exercise can modulate the expression of proteins potentially implicated in cognitive functions. We used adult female CD-1 mice, a healthy control strain, and divided animals in sedentary and trained groups. After different periods (2,4 and 6 months) of treadmill training, the mouse hippocampal proteome was analyzed using two-dimensional electrophoresis and MALDI TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. Exercise influenced the expression of 18 proteins, whose expression was confirmed by LIFT technology and Western Blot analysis. These proteins are involved in several processes such as enhancing antioxidant defence, maintaining the efficiency of mitochondrial energy metabolism and cellular plasticity. Our data would indicate that the exercise-modified activity of these molecules could be relevant to support the brain’s capacity for learning and memory storage and, therefore, to preserve the cognitive performance against age-related decline.

Role of samarium doping in ZnSe electrode material with increased electrocapacitive properties for supercapacitor energy storage applications

Researchers have recently paid great attention to different transition metals-basedsupercapacitor electrode materials, which haveincreased interest due to their excellent energy storage applications. In this regard, electrodes based on samarium-doped materials have shown impressive promise for higher-performingsupercapacitors and energy-storing devices in many industries. In the present work, Sm-doped ZnSe electrode material was fabricated by using a simple hydrothermal method and then characterized structurally and morphologically by various physical characterizations. When prepared Sm-doped ZnSewasevaluated in three electrode configurations,then displayedan impressive specific capacitance(923.43F/g), high energy density (45.43 Wh/kg) along with power density (297.6 W/kg)at 1 A/g,higher as compared with ZnSe. According to EIS characterization small charge transfer resistance (0.10 Ω) of the doping material was calculated while chronoamperometry data showed that the fabricated electrode exhibited higher stability of 30 h. This work shows that doping of Smto ZnSeenhances energy storage efficiency and suggests great energy storage abilities in supercapacitors and other energy storage devices.

Tailoring effect of aliphatic chain on the energy storage ability of azobenzene-containing surfactants

Photon energy storage and low-grade heat collection are important for the sustainable energy utilization, which could be achieved by the development of photoswitches-based phase change materials. While, the phase change materials based on azobenzene exhibit a contradiction between gravimetric energy density and light-induced energy-charging ability. Here, a class of ammonium surfactants containing an azobenzene motif and different tail chains is designed and synthsized for harvesting photon energy and low-grade heat through photoresponsive phase change in solid state. The gravimetric energy density and energy-charging process of such surfactants could be well tailored by the tail chain. By UV-charging in solid state and solution state, the as-prepared surfactants could address the gravimetric energy density as high as 152.1 J g-1 and 218.7 J g-1, respectively, which are among the top level of azobenzene-based thermal fuels. Such surfactants could release the stored photon energy and low-grade thermal energy out as upgraded heat under Vis light, causing a fast and lasting environmental temperature rise. This work provides a new designing strategy for balancing the gravimetric energy density and energy-charging ability of azobenzene-based materials.

Universal increase in catalytic hydrogenation performance for lanthanide-modified Pd/Al2O3 catalysts by hydrogen transfer

Hydrogen spillover phenomenon can significantly impact the activity in hydrogenation reaction, but the spillover is limited in a very short range on non-reducible Al2O3, a most widely used industrial support. Herein, Al2O3 doped with different lanthanides (ln) was prepared by co-precipitation, which was then used to produce Pd/ln-Al2O3 catalysts. These catalysts display much higher hydrogenation activity towards alkylated anthraquinone than undoped Pd/Al2O3 catalyst and those modified by non-lanthanide elements. After the introduction of lanthanides, the reaction order of H2 decreases from 1 to 0. Further characterization and DFT calculation show that H2 storage ability is increased for ln-doped catalysts due to the low activation energy of H transfer and low adsorption energy of H on O(-ln) sites. In addition, a reasonable relationship between reducibility of ln3+ in catalysts and the catalytic performance is found.

Stepwise Two Electron-Transfer Processes of Naphthalene Diimide As the Soluble Negolyte and Solid Storage in Redox Target Flow Batteries

Organic redox flow batteries (RFBs) have emerged as promising energy storage systems linked to intermittent renewable energy sources. The organic redox-active molecules serve as the negolyte and posolyte (active negative and positive active electrolyte, respectively) and have developed to tune redox potential, capacity, and stability. This RFB offers potentially lower costs than vanadium RFBs due to the rising vanadium expense. Nonetheless, the capacity of organic RFBs has been limited by 0.5~2 M due to the limited solubility of organic molecules and increased viscosity, resulting in restricted energy density.To mitigate this challenge, the idea of loading solid-state charge storage into the electrolyte reservoir of RFBs has been suggested. This concept establishing redox targeting flow battery (RTFB) is, therefore, composed of soluble active molecules and storage, indicated as redox mediator (RM) and solid-state redox target (RT), respectively. The RM is responsible for the electrochemical redox event at the electrode and flows to the reservoir, where spontaneous electron transfers occur from RM to RT. Subsequently, the RM is recovered to the original state and undergoes the electrochemical redox process again at the electrode. Ideally, the capacity of RTFB relies on the electron storage ability of RT rather than the solubility of RM. Several previous reports have used polymeric materials or LiFePO4 as the insoluble RTs. They focused on the one electron-transfer process and an accessible alignment of energy levels and electron-transfer kinetics between RT and RM for reversible reactions. However, two electron-transfer processes have not yet been studied, although these systems enhance the energy density further in RTFBs.Here, we present two electron-transfer processes using naphthalene diimide (NDI) utilized as both RM and RT. We previously developed stable NDI derivatives as the negolyte in RFBs thanks to their extended-conjugation structure. In the RTFB system, we utilized these soluble NDI as the mobile RM and loaded a covalent organic framework (COF) involving NDI as the insoluble storage. Well-defined nanoporous channels with in crystalline COF provide the flow route of the soluble RM of NDI so that, ideally, all NDI included in COF (NDI-COF) can be involved in the electron-transfer process from the RM. Cyclic voltammetry of NDI-COF exhibited two cathodic peaks at –0.48 V and –0.68 V vs. NHE. Accordingly, we prepared a couple of NDI designs as the RM with different bulkiness and potential gaps from NDI-COF by introducing electron-donating and -withdrawing groups. The state of charge (SoC) of RT was inferred from the reduced state of RM in this solution, which was analyzed using open circuit potential and UV-visible spectroscopy. As a result, we observed that the NDI RM's long alkyl chain and slightly positive cathodic potential led to slow electron transfer to RM through the first cathodic reaction. Further, the second cathodic event was far slower, seemingly holding the SoC at 50% (i.e., terminating only for the first cathodic process) despite the complete two cathodic processes of RMs during the galvanostatic performance. To mitigate this challenge, we introduced RMs with more negative cathodic potential and developed RTs deposited on entangled carbon nanotubes to ensure the space, allowing the approach of RMs to the NDI in COFs, and increasing the electron-transfer efficiency. In this presentation, I will discuss details of the effectiveness of two-step electron-transfer processes using NDI materials and the related capacity enhancement. Figure 1

Performance of a curved corrugated surface Trombe wall coupled phase change material in buildings by numerical models and experiments

The energy consumption of the HVAC system represents a significant proportion of the total energy required to maintain the thermal environment of a building. Reducing the reliance on the HVAC system and improving the indoor thermal comfort, this study proposed a novel curved corrugated surface Trombe wall (CCTW). Also, the phase change material (PCM) was combined with this CCTW to further improve the ability of energy storage. The thermal resistance–capacitance (RC) method was employed to establish its heat transfer model, and the accuracy of the RC model was verified through experiments. Experimental results showed a great agreement between the RC model and the experiment, with a mean relative error of 3.7 %. The RC model is coupled with the building model established by TRNSYS software for joint simulation. Results highlighted that the average and peak air flow temperatures in the outlet of the CCTW+PCM were 19.4 °C and 28.9 °C, respectively, which were 26.8 % and 35.0 % higher than the traditional Trombe wall. The model building with the CCTW+PCM could reach a higher indoor temperature, with the largest average and maximum values of 14.0 °C and 20.0 °C, respectively, which were 32 % and 42 % higher than the model building with traditional Trombe wall. Particularly, the application of the CCTW+PCM could fully satisfy the indoor heating needs of the building with heating degree-day of 1103. The results demonstrated that the CCTW+PCM could enhance indoor thermal comfort and be beneficial in reducing the energy consumption of the HVAC system.

Strategic design of cobalt-based bimetallic compounds using NH4BF4 as a structure-directing agent for enhancing energy storage ability of battery supercapacitor hybrids

Modifying morphology and composition of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can enhance their electrical conductivities and redox states. Structure-directing agents (SDAs) play a key role in shaping surface properties of materials. Ammonium fluoride-based complexes are useful in designing MOF derivatives with excellent energy storage capabilities. Metal species involved also affect redox reactions, which are crucial for energy storage in battery-type electrodes. In this study, cobalt-based bimetallic compounds derived from ZIF-67 are synthesized using 2-methylimidazole and the SDA of NH4BF4. The secondary metal species contain Cu, Al, Zn and Mn, and resulting compositions include hydroxides and hydroxide nitrates. With the optimal 2-methylimidazole to NH4BF4 ratio, the best-performed cobalt-based compound is related to Ni (MB21-CoNi) which demonstrates the highest specific capacitance (CF) of 763.2 F/g at 20 mV/s, attributed to high theoretical capacities and sheets-assembled flower-like structures. A battery-supercapacitor hybrid (BSH) composed of carbon and MB21-CoNi electrodes achieves a maximum energy density of 17.2 Wh/kg at 650 W/kg. A CF retention of 94.9% and a Coulombic efficiency of 88.9% after 10,000 cycles are attained for this BSH. This work provides a blueprint for designing novel active materials with helps of 2-methylimidazole and NH4BF4, and for discussing significant parameters to achieve excellent energy storage ability.