Storage Industry Research Articles

Kinetics and structure analysis of CO2 mineralization for recycled concrete aggregate (RCA)

CO2 mineralization of solid waste in the construction industry for green concrete production is a promising approach for economically storing CO2 and recycling solid waste. Recent investigations have underscored the significance of CO2 sequestration and the augmentation of RCA performance engendered by the holistic reaction processes. While there is a pronounced interest in the optimization of macroscopic reaction conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.), the exploration and enhancement of the reaction kinetics stage often remains under explored. This study employed a reaction kinetics model to quantify the reaction rate unveiled two distinct reaction stages within the mineralization reaction. Early evaporation and pore formation established the groundwork for the diffusion mechanism of gas product layers in the middle and later stages, emphasizing the crucial role of water in connecting solid ion leaching and gas dissolution-diffusion in the reaction. The water content of the reaction has an optimal value (4%–6%), smaller particle size correlates with a higher optimal water content. Pre-soaking with a calcium hydroxide (CH) solution or suspension was employed to improve mineralization reaction kinetics, resulting in RCA with improved pore characteristics and strength. The crushing index decreased by 28.8% and 21.8%, the water absorption rate decreased by 11.1% for both coarse and fine RCA, and the cumulative total porosity of fine RCA decreased by 17.6%. This research aims to broaden the applications of waste concrete in the CO2 capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) industry and produce low-cost, extensively processed, and high-strength RCA products while contributing to sustainable CO2 management.

Thermal runaway propagation behavior and gas production characteristics of NCM622 battery modules at different state of charge

Due to the complex thermal runaway propagation behavior of lithium-ion battery modules and the generation of a substantial amount of combustible mixed gases during the process, their safety performance is compromised, hindering their large-scale application in the fields of energy storage and automotive industries. Therefore, in this paper, the thermal runaway propagation behavior and gas production characteristics of Li (Ni0.6Co0.2Mn0.2) O2 battery modules with different state of charge were investigated in closed space. The results show that no thermal runaway occurred in the battery module when the state of charge was below 25% in closed space. With the decrease of the state of charge, both the internal thermal propagation speed and the surface temperature of the lithium-ion battery were reduced. The total gas production volume from 17.48 mol to 6.17 mol when the state of charge was reduced from 100% to 50%. The main gases produced during thermal runaway were CO2, CO, H2, CH4, and C2H4. With the decrease of the state of charge, the content of CO2 increased, the content of C2H4 and CO decreased, and the content of H2 and CH4 remained unchanged with the state of charge. The results contribute to safety measures for preventing thermal runaway accidents in lithium-ion batteries, offering guidance for the secure design of lithium-ion battery packs, and thus enhancing the overall safety of lithium-ion batteries.

Zinc ion Batteries: Bridging the Gap from Academia to Industry for Grid-Scale Energy Storage.

Zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) exhibit significant promise in the next generation of grid-scale energy storage systems owing to their safety, relatively high volumetric energy density, and low production cost. Despite substantial advancements in ZIBs, a comprehensive evaluation of critical parameters impacting their practical energy density (Epractical) and calendar life is lacking. Hence, we suggest using formulation-based study as a scientific tool to accurately calculate the cell-level energy density and predict the cycling life of ZIBs. By combining all key battery parameters, such as the capacity ratio of negative to positive electrode (N/P), into one formula, we assess their impact on Epractical. When all parameters are optimized, we urge to achieve the theoretical capacity for a high Epractical. Furthermore, we propose a formulation that correlates the N/P and Coulombic efficiency of ZIBs for predicting their calendar life. Finally, we offer a comprehensive overview of current advancements in ZIBs, covering cathode and anode, along with practical evaluations. This Minireview outlines specific goals, suggests future research directions, and sketches prospects for designing efficient and high-performing ZIBs. It aims at bridging the gap from academia to industry for grid-scale energy storage.

Impact of government subsidies on total factor productivity of energy storage enterprises under dual-carbon targets

Government subsidies are an important means to guide the development of the energy storage industry. As countries around the world are increasing government subsidies to energy storage enterprises (ESEs), how to effectively utilize these subsidies has become a focus of attention. Based on panel data of Chinese 101 energy storage enterprises from 2007 to 2022, this paper examines the effectiveness of government subsidies in the energy storage industry from the perspective of total factor productivity (TFP). The results unveil that government subsidies significantly increase the TFP of ESEs. The positive impact of government subsidies on TFP exhibits a “cherry on top” characteristic, implying that the higher the ESEs’ current TFP, the stronger promoting effect of government subsidies on their future TFP. Mediating mechanism analysis indicates that government subsidies enhance the TFP of ESEs by alleviating financing constraints and increasing R&D investment. In particular, government subsidies exhibit a stronger mediating effect in ESEs with higher previous TFP. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that both R&D and non-R&D subsidies improve the TFP, and government subsidies have stronger effects on the TFP of non-state-owned ESEs, larger ESEs, and ESEs in favorable financial environments. These findings provide insights for building a proactive government in energy storage industry and contributing to the achievement of dual-carbon targets.

Carbon storage units and carbon storage obligations: A review of policy approaches

Policies that incentivize the capture and geological storage of CO2 from large point sources (‘CCS’; and more recently, atmospheric removals), have so far tended to reward the resultant avoided CO2 emissions (or CO2 removals) achieved by operators at the point of capture. The expectation has been that geological CO2 storage sites, as well as the connecting infrastructure, will be developed and operated based upon the funding delivered from the single point of incentive (e.g. under an emissions trading system or a carbon tax, only CO2 capture installation operators are absolved of the obligation to acquire and surrender CO2 emission rights or to pay the tax). Project-based crediting mechanisms (e.g. in the voluntary carbon market) tend to treat the entire chain of operations as a single entity to be supplied with emission reduction or removal credits. Consequently, there has been minimal explicit financial incentive to store CO2. Yet a multiple gigaton-per-year scale capture and storage industry requires complex CO2 networks to evolve, with multiple sources connecting to multiple sinks, with installations owned by different operators with different technical expertise, climate mitigation goals and obligations. This multiplicity of goals and incentives can create agency problems and cross-chain risks, which impact negatively upon investment decisions. In this paper, we review the history, evolution and potential of geological net zero (GNZ) and carbon storage (or takeback) obligation concepts applied to fossil carbon producers and suppliers as a means to address these risks alongside policies aimed at atmospheric net zero (ANZ) and fossil carbon emitters.

Adsorption using Selective Adsorbents as An Effective Method for Rare Earth Elements Recovery–a Review

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are strategically important for the industry, especially in the manufacture of high-technology products and components, such as electric batteries for energy storage, energy conversion, defense and security industry, electric vehicles, components on smartphones, laptops, liquid crystal display, and others. Generally, REEs are processed by liquid-liquid extraction. However, this process is very costly due to the use of chemicals and high operational costs, so the waste has the potential to pollute the environment. Currently, innovative separation/recovery techniques are continuously being developed for effective and environmentally friendly extraction of rare earths. The adsorption method using the optimal adsorbent is one of the most efficient methods for recovering REEs at low concentrations. This method offers several advantages, including high release effectiveness, ease of installation and operation, low maintenance costs, and reduced chemical consumption. This study reviews the mechanism, characterization, and several adsorbents from natural to synthetic materials, especially nanocomposite-based adsorbents for the recovery of rare earths. In addition, the discussion of several parameters that affect the adsorbent. However, the results of several methodological breakthroughs that have been carried out show how much further research is needed

Analysis of Cold Storage Capacity Utilization in Jharkhand: Special Reference to Agriculture Finance

Agriculture is the leading occupation for the people of the Jharkhand. State has potential to produce horticulture product and this type of product like fruits and vegetables need cold storage industry because It plays a significant role for the agricultural sector where various items such as Vegetables, fruits and meat etc.is stored where temperature is maintained, so as to protect them from getting spoiled and there by extend their preservation period with the help of precision instruments. Cold storages are an acute technology to keep perishable items safe.
 It is also an industry to increase revenue by protecting and reducing the wastage of fruits & vegetables. Cold storage is a place where an item is needed can be taken anytime and can be made available to consumers very easily. Due to non-availability of space in the existing cold storage units, farmers are facing hardships to store their produced. The purpose of the study to analyze the current scenario of cold storage capacity in Jharkhand. It has been seen that there is a wide gap in availability of cold storages and agriculture produce to the markets. There are only 25 storage which has 80625MT capacity in Jharkhand. So, the urgent need for affordable, reliable, and sustainable expansion of cold storage infrastructure is crucial to boost agriculture's economic contribution. Farmers need the right financing and storage for the right price, enabling them to directly connect with multiple markets and maximize socio-economic impact.

Is China ready for a hydrogen economy? Feasibility analysis of hydrogen energy in the Chinese transportation sector

Hydrogen plays a crucial role in achieving deep decarbonization in the global transportation sector. This study aims to identify an efficient development strategy for hydrogen energy in China's transportation sector. We propose a market acceptance model integrated with life cycle assessment to analyze the feasibility of adopting hydrogen energy in this sector. We develop a profit-fairness optimization model to maximize the profits of the entire industrial chain, ensuring a fair distribution across upstream, midstream, and downstream components. The study finds that hydrogen energy is currently not feasible in China's transportation sector, with consumer preference close to zero. With the anticipated decrease in the cost of future hydrogen applications, achieving suitable development of the industrial chain requires optimal profitability: 39.44 % in production, storage, and delivery industries, and 11.14 % in the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle manufacturing industry in our case. Recommended future marketing strategies include increasing the profitability of production, storage, and delivery industries through guaranteed market-acceptable prices. Additionally, adopting a thin margin strategy for hydrogen fuel cell vehicle manufacturing industries and prioritizing subsidies.

Nanoarchitectonics of low process parameter synthesized porous carbon on enhanced performance with synergistic interaction of redox-active electrolyte for supercapacitor application

To develop materials of lower embodied energy and materials footprint for energy storage industry, the present work reports synthesis of porous carbon from a waste wetland weed (wild sugarcane) using low process parametric conditions (temperature and impregnation ratio) and their electrochemical capacitive (synonymously known as supercapacitors) charge storage performance in aqueous and redox active electrolytes. The phase, surface chemistry, physical surface, and morphology of the porous carbon thus developed are studied in detail using X-ray diffraction, gas adsorption measurements, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques. Porous carbon synthesized at 500 °C, with the activator ZnCl2, resulted in a combination of micro and meso pores and a specific surface area ∼1294 m2 g−1. The optimized electrodes show outstanding energy storage performance, viz. specific capacitance of ∼414 F g−1 (three-electrode system) and ∼197 F g−1 (two-electrode system) at 1 A g−1 current density in aqueous 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte. The porous activated carbon showed high performance in terms of electrochemical stability of 96 % in half cell configuration for 10,000 cycles, while the symmetric device showed 80 % cyclic stability for 5000 cycles in full cell configuration. Addition of redox active 0.01 M hydroquinone in the 1 M H2SO4 significantly improved the storage capacity to 540 C g−1 at current density of 3 A g−1 in two-electrode configuration and maintained 72 % of capacity for 5000 cycles. The redox-active symmetric supercapacitors show an energy density ∼26.9 W h kg−1 and power density ∼5527 W kg−1 and other related electrochemical properties.

Grain Temperature Prediction Based on GRU Deep Fusion Model

Temperature is an essential quality index in storage. Prediction of temperature can help the grain storage industry to apply the appropriate operations such as ventilation or drying to improve the quality of grain and extend the suitable storage time. Traditional machine learning methods usually cannot accurately predict the temperature data of the grain considering the complexity of environmental factors and grain warehouse conditions. To make better use of the temporal data such as temperature/humidity information of grain itself and its environment, this paper proposes a gated recurrent unit (GRU)-based algorithm to predict the change of the data. The grain warehouse environmental data are collected by multi-functional sensors inside a grain depot, including temperature, humidity, wind speed, air pressure, etc. Some of these data features such as rain or snow days are sparse data features. Excessive sparse features can affect the training accuracy of the model. At the same time, due to sensor aging or extreme weather conditions, the data collected may not be accurate, and the data contain noise, which also has a significant impact on the training of the model. To improve the performance of the proposed GRU framework, multivariate linear regression is used for feature generation to optimize the volatility of weather data, strengthen and construct the characteristics of datasets, and wavelet filtering is used to denoise the corresponding features. This paper focuses on the data sparse and noise problem and applies the MLR and wavelet filtering to improve the GRU prediction framework for grain warehouse temporal data. According to our experiment, the temperature prediction results based on the GRU deep fusion model have better improvement in prediction accuracy and time than the existing neural network algorithms such as long–short-term memory (LSTM), GRU, and transformer.

Autonomous and IoT‐driven intralogistics for Industry 4.0 warehouses: A thematic analysis of the literature

AbstractEyeing superior operational performance, transportation, and warehousing management, researchers have turned their much‐needed attention to autonomous and IoT‐driven intralogistics systems. Despite its potential, a systematic evaluation of its overall business needs and the criteria for its success at each stage of adoption is missing in the literature. Using the business analysis framework, augmented by the technology adoption model, this study seeks to provide the business context for adopting autonomous and IoT‐driven intralogistics by identifying business requirements and critical success factors for such systems. We thematically analyze 85 recent research articles on autonomous and IoT‐driven intralogistics systems to identify business requirements that are linked to the mission of maximizing operational profit for the warehousing and storage industry. Then, using the identified business requirements as a base, we thematically analyze those 85 research articles again to identify critical success factors at different stages of technology adoption, namely information, analysis, acquisition, and utilization. We use the findings to develop propositions for future researchers. These findings provide a foundation for developing empirical, descriptive, and normative research on adopting and managing these systems for the warehousing and storage industry.

Bridging the gap between academic research and industrial development in advanced all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries.

The energy storage and vehicle industries are heavily investing in advancing all-solid-state batteries to overcome critical limitations in existing liquid electrolyte-based lithium-ion batteries, specifically focusing on mitigating fire hazards and improving energy density. All-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries (ASSLSBs), featuring earth-abundant sulfur cathodes, high-capacity metallic lithium anodes, and non-flammable solid electrolytes, hold significant promise. Despite these appealing advantages, persistent challenges like sluggish sulfur redox kinetics, lithium metal failure, solid electrolyte degradation, and manufacturing complexities hinder their practical use. To facilitate the transition of these technologies to an industrial scale, bridging the gap between fundamental scientific research and applied R&D activities is crucial. Our review will address the inherent challenges in cell chemistries within ASSLSBs, explore advanced characterization techniques, and delve into innovative cell structure designs. Furthermore, we will provide an overview of the recent trends in R&D and investment activities from both academia and industry. Building on the fundamental understandings and significant progress that has been made thus far, our objective is to motivate the battery community to advance ASSLSBs in a practical direction and propel the industrialized process.

A brief analysis of characteristics and cost-effectiveness of energy storage technology in the power system: A case study of Shandong province

This paper sorts out the working principles and technical characteristics of current mainstream energy storage technologies, forecasts the development prospects of energy storage in China, discusses the main application scenarios and profit models of energy storage in China, and conducts cost estimation for relatively mature energy storage methods such as lithium-ion battery, lead-carbon batteries, sodium-ion batteries, flow batteries compressed, air hydrogen and fuel cells. Finally, based on the actual situation of energy storage industry scale and layout in Shandong Province, suggestions are proposed for the future development direction of energy storage and related supporting policies in Shandong Province.

Finite temperature string by K-means clustering sampling with order parameters as collective variables for molecular crystals: application to polymorphic transformation between β-CL-20 and ε-CL-20.

Polymorphic transformation of molecular crystals is a fundamental phase transition process, and it is important practically in the chemical, material, biopharmaceutical, and energy storage industries. However, understanding of the transformation mechanism at the molecular level is poor due to the extreme simulating challenges in enhanced sampling and formulating order parameters (OPs) as the collective variables that can distinguish polymorphs with quite similar and complicated structures so as to describe the reaction coordinate. In this work, two kinds of OPs for CL-20 were constructed by the bond distances, bond orientations and relative orientations. A K-means clustering algorithm based on the Euclidean distance and sample weight was used to smooth the initial finite temperature string (FTS), and the minimum free energy path connecting β-CL-20 and ε-CL-20 was sketched by the string method in collective variables, and the free energy profile along the path and the nucleation kinetics were obtained by Markovian milestoning with Voronoi tessellations. In comparison with the average-based sampling, the K-means clustering algorithm provided an improved convergence rate of FTS. The simulation of transformation was independent of OP types but was affected greatly by finite-size effects. A surface-mediated local nucleation mechanism was confirmed and the configuration located at the shoulder of potential of mean force, rather than overall maximum, was confirmed to be the critical nucleus formed by the cooperative effect of the intermolecular interactions. This work provides an effective way to explore the polymorphic transformation of caged molecular crystals at the molecular level.

Study on the Comparison of Electron Beam Welding and Hybrid Laser-Arc Welding of Thick High-Manganese Steel Plate for Cryogenic Applications

Environmental protection policies have led to a focus on clean energy from Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and thus, its demand is increasing. Several studies for the development of cryogenic materials and fabrication technologies for storage and delivery of LNG are presented worldwide. Recently, International Maritime Organization (IMO) acknowledged that high-manganese steel was one such cryogenic material for application in LNG storage. Thus, high-manganese steel is expected to be increasingly used in the cryogenic storage industry because of its excellent material properties such as low-temperature toughness and tensile strength. A variety of researches on the welding technologies are available, including arc welding, laser welding and hybrid laser-arc welding. However, electron beam welding (EBW) has not been widely studied. In this work, EBW was investigated for the thick high-manganese steel plate and its mechanical properties were evaluated and compared with the characteristics of hybrid laser-arc welding. Our study indicates that EBW exhibits better mechanical properties than the hybrid laser-arc welding and it can be an effective potential candidate technology for welding of thick high-manganese steel plate with application in cryogenic storage tank.

The Relationship between Service Economy and Carbon Emissions in Jiangsu Province China and the Influencing Factors

Aims: G20 leaders Riyadh put forward the approval of the carbon reduction, reuse, recycling and elimination (4R) framework at the 2020 Summit. In order to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality, promote the development of low-carbon economy, China is striving to build a new high-efficiency low-carbon market.
 Study Design: Taking the service industry in Jiangsu Province as the research object.
 Place and Duration of Study: long-term interactive relationship between the carbon emissions of the service industry in Jiangsu Province China and its economic development, from 2005 to 2022.
 Methodology: Through the vector autoregressive model (VAR) and Granger causality test. Then, five variables affecting the carbon emissions of the service industry are selected: the level of science and technology, the development of transportation, storage and postal industry, energy efficiency, industrial structure and tourism development.
 Results: As influencing factors, through the least squares method (OLS) analysis, it is found that the factor that has the greatest impact on the carbon emissions of the service industry in Jiangsu Province is the industrial structure, followed by the development of tourism and transportation, storage and postal industry.
 Conclusion: It is proposed to promote scientific and technological innovation and technological progress from many aspects, improve the scientific and technological innovation system of tourism, accelerate the upgrading of industrial structure, improve the efficiency of transportation, storage and postal industry, promote the formation of a benign interactive relationship between the development of the service industry and carbon emissions in Jiangsu Province and illustrate how the service industry can develop with high quality while saving energy and reducing emissions.

(Invited) Quest for Fully Spin and Optically Polarized Semiconductor Nanostructures for Room-Temperature Opto-Spintronics

Spintronics represents a new paradigm for future electronics, photonics and information technology, which explores the spin degree of freedom of the electron for information storage, processing and transfer. Since 1990s, we have witnessed great success of metal-based spintronics that has revolutionized the mass data storage industry. There has also been an enormous push for semiconductor spintronics during the past three decades, with the aim to capitalize the past and current success of charge-based semiconductor technology and to make its spin counterpart the backbone of future spintronics just like semiconductors have done in today’s electronics/photonics. An exclusive advantage of semiconductor spintronics is its potential for opto-spintronics that will allow integration of spin-based information processing and storage with photon-based information transfer and communications. Unfortunately, progresses of semiconductor spintronics have so far been severely hampered by the failure to generate nearly fully spin-polarized charge carriers in semiconductors at and above room temperature (RT) at which today’s devices operate.In this work, we succeed to achieve conduction electron spin polarization exceeding 90% at RT in a semiconductor nanostructure, which remains steadily high even up to 110°C [1]. This represents the highest RT electron spin polarization ever reported in any semiconductor by any approach! This breakthrough is accomplished by a conceptually new approach of defect-engineered remote spin filtering and amplification of InAs quantum-dot (QD) electrons via an adjacent tunneling-coupled GaNAs quantum well acting as a spin filter. The extraordinary spin filtering effect in GaNAs is enabled by spin-dependent recombination via spin-polarized defects, i.e. grown-in Ga self-interstitials, which selectively deplete conduction electrons with an opposite spin orientation to that of the defect electron. In sharp contrast to the general trend of deteriorating spin polarization with increasing temperature seen in all other approaches of spin generation, our approach is gifted with an opposite temperature dependence up to RT thanks to a thermally accelerated remote spin-filtering effect as a result of thermally activated recombination via the defects [2]. We further show that the QD electron spin can be remotely manipulated by spin control in the adjacent spin filter, paving the way for remote spin encoding and writing of quantum memory as well as for remote spin control of spin-photon interfaces. This work demonstrates the feasibility to implement opto-spintronic functionality under practical device operation conditions in a semiconductor nanostructure system based on the mature III-V semiconductor technology commonly used for today’s optoelectronics and photonics. It could also pave the way for a range of potential spintronic and opto-spintronic applications exploiting the state-of-the-art GaAs technology platform, such as spin-LEDs, spin lasers, spin-polarized single-photon sources, quantum spin-photon interfaces, spin qubits, etc.

Mesoporous Silica Engineered Lithium Metal Batteries: Unraveling the Mechanisms behind Dendrite Inhibition and Enhanced Electrochemical Performance

Lithium metal batteries are widely considered to be a next-generation battery technology due to their high energy density, fast charging capability, and potential to power a wide range of applications, from portable electronics to electric vehicles.Compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries, which use graphite as the anode material, lithium metal batteries have the potential to offer significantly higher energy density. This is because lithium metal has a much higher theoretical capacity than graphite, meaning it can store more energy per unit weight or volume. As a result, lithium metal batteries could potentially offer longer run times and smaller form factors than lithium-ion batteries, which are already widely used in consumer electronics and electric vehicles.In addition to their high energy density, lithium metal batteries also offer fast charging capabilities. This is because the lithium metal anode can be charged more quickly than the graphite anode used in conventional lithium-ion batteries. This could enable faster charging times for electric vehicles and other applications, reducing the time required for recharging and improving their overall usability.However, one of the major challenges with lithium metal batteries is dendrite growth, which can occur when lithium metal ions deposit unevenly on the surface of the anode during charging. These dendrites are needle-like structures that can penetrate the separator and cause short-circuits, leading to reduced battery performance and safety issues. As a result, much of the research on lithium metal batteries has focused on developing strategies to prevent dendrite growth, such as using coatings or electrolytes with additives that can stabilize the lithium metal anode.Despite these challenges, lithium metal batteries continue to be a promising next-generation battery technology. Researchers are working on improving their energy density, charging speed, and safety, and they are exploring a range of applications, from portable electronics to electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage. If these challenges can be overcome, lithium metal batteries could revolutionize the energy storage industry and enable a wide range of new and exciting applications.To address this issue, we have explored the use of various coatings on the lithium metal anode to prevent dendrite growth. In this study, ordered mesoporous silica with different pore sizes and pore structures, such as SBA-15 and KIT-6, were used as coatings between the lithium metal anode and separator.SBA-15 and KIT-6 are two types of mesoporous silica materials that are widely used in various applications due to their unique properties. The synthesis of these materials involves the use of templates to control the pore size and structure.They are synthesized using a combination of a surfactant(pluronic P123 or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide;CTAB) as the template and tetraethyl orthosilicate(TEOS) as the silica source. The synthesis involves mixing a solution of surfactant and TEOS in acidic conditions, followed by aging and calcination steps. The resulting materials have a highly ordered hexagonal pore structure(SBA-15) and body-centered cubic pore structure(KIT-6) with a pore size ranging from 5 to 20 nm.By coating the surface of the lithium metal with a uniform pore structure material such as ordered mesoporous silica, dendrite growth can be suppressed and lithium deposition can occur more uniformly.The uniform pore structure material acts as a physical barrier to lithium ion diffusion and helps to control the deposition of lithium ions onto the surface of the lithium metal. When lithium ions are deposited onto the surface of the lithium metal, they can form a layer of lithium that can grow and become thick over time. If the lithium layer is too thick, it can become unstable and form dendrites. However, the uniform pore structure material can help to limit the thickness of the lithium layer and promote the deposition of lithium ions in a more uniform manner, thus reducing the likelihood of dendrite formation.Additionally, the uniform pore structure material can help to reduce the concentration of lithium ions at the surface of the lithium metal, which is another factor that can contribute to dendrite growth. By limiting the concentration of lithium ions at the surface, the uniform pore structure material can help to prevent the formation of high-concentration regions that can promote dendrite growth.Overall, the mechanism by which a uniform pore structure material can suppress dendrite growth involves controlling the deposition of lithium ions onto the surface of the lithium metal, limiting the thickness of the lithium layer, and reducing the concentration of lithium ions at the surface. These factors help to promote more uniform lithium deposition and prevent the formation of dendrites, leading to improved battery performance and safety.

Enhanced Performances for Solid-State Lithium-Ion Batteries with Llzo Thin Electrolyte and Silicon-Nanowires Electrode

In the past decades, due to an always more electrification and the research of a greener environment, Li-ion Batteries (LIB) have taken an important place in worldwide research. Solid-state batteries (SSBs) have the potential to revolutionize the energy storage industry, offering superior safety and energy density in comparison to traditional LIBs[1, 2]. Our research aims to enhance the performance and safety of solid-state batteries at ambient temperature by incorporating electrodes with high specific capacity with a lithium lanthanum zirconate (LLZO) solid electrolyte.The integration of SiNW electrodes into the solid-state battery architecture offers several advantages. SiNWs are known for their large surface area and superior electrical conductivity and offer a strong platform for efficient lithium-ion transport and cell energy density optimization, theoretically almost 10 times the capacity of graphite[3, 4]. Furthermore, LLZO solid electrolytes are a stable and non-flammable alternative to conventional liquid electrolytes[2, 5], significantly improving battery safety.The main objectives of this study are to investigate the combined effects of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) electrodes and LLZO solid electrolyte and to determine the optimal amount of liquid electrolytes to improve cell safety.In this work, an LLZO thin solid electrolyte tape has been manufactured by casting technique. Precise volumes of liquid electrolyte have been added to the LLZO tape to improve surface contact and ion conductivity. Furthermore, the study will provide a view of the relationship between the quantity of liquid electrolytes introduced and their impact on cell stability and safety.Preliminary results show the preparation of a mechanically stable LLZO tape with high ionic conductivity (>10-4 S cm-1) through an easy and up-scalable procedure. Improvements have been reported in the electrochemical performance of SiNW-LLZO solid-state batteries compared to the relative Li-ion liquid cell.In conclusion, here we developed a new thin solid electrolyte tape with high ionic conductivity, used in solid-state LIBs with silicon nanowires as anode material. Moreover, we standardized a procedure to optimize the use of organic liquid electrolytes as an additive, without omitting the volume or using any excess that could lead to safety issues. This optimization process can contribute to the development of solid-state batteries that are not only high-performance but also safe and reliable for various applications, including electric vehicles and portable electronics. References Wu, F., J. Maier, and Y. Yu, Guidelines and trends for next-generation rechargeable lithium and lithium-ion batteries. Chem Soc Rev, 2020. 49(5): p. 1569-1614.Wang, C., et al., Garnet-Type Solid-State Electrolytes: Materials, Interfaces, and Batteries. Chem Rev, 2020. 120(10): p. 4257-4300.Chan, C.K., et al., High-performance lithium battery anodes using silicon nanowires. Nat Nanotechnol, 2008. 3(1): p. 31-5.Kennedy, T., M. Brandon, and K.M. Ryan, Advances in the Application of Silicon and Germanium Nanowires for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries. Adv Mater, 2016. 28(27): p. 5696-704.Xu, L., et al., Garnet Solid Electrolyte for Advanced All ‐Solid ‐State Li Batteries. Advanced Energy Materials, 2020. 11(2).

Industrial carbon capture utilisation and storage in the UK: The importance of wage responses in conditioning the outcomes of a new UK CO2 transport and storage industry emerging in a labour supply constrained economy

Carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) is emerging as an important solution in delivering deep emissions reductions in energy-intensive industries, enabling hydrogen production, and possibly directly capturing existing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. The potential for associated new industry activity – for example in CO2 Transport and Storage (T&S) – could also be important in transitioning economies with legacy investment in oil and gas extraction. This paper addresses the question of how introducing a nascent T&S industry may impact the wider UK economy in the presence of persisting national labour supply constraints. It does so by refining a multi-sector economy-wide computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the UK to run scenarios focussed on the emergence of a nascent sector, involving identification of benchmark activity – here, the existing oil and gas industry – where that nascent sector is not currently represented in national accounting data. Crucially, the CGE model embeds a theoretically and empirically tested wage bargaining function to consider how cost and price pressures triggered will condition dynamic outcomes for producers, consumers and government budgets. Results suggest that emergence of a new T&S industry is likely to deliver sustained net gains in UK employment and GDP. However, maximising T&S-linked jobs gains while minimising displacement of employment and price pressures elsewhere in the economy requires policy action to alleviate labour supply and skills constraints. This reinforces policy and industry recommendations around the need for net zero workforce planning and attention to the potential fiscal implications of taking action, or not/in different timeframes.