Working Temperature Range Research Articles

High-Performance Adhesive with Wide Working Temperature Range Enabled by the Multivalent Supramolecular Network around Lignin-Derived Noncoplanar Triaryl-imidazolium

High-Performance Adhesive with Wide Working Temperature Range Enabled by the Multivalent Supramolecular Network around Lignin-Derived Noncoplanar Triaryl-imidazolium

Superelastic MXene/Polymer aerogels for High-Performance Battery-Type Self-Powered electronic skins

Pressure-sensitive electronic skins have drawn great attention in the fields of smart medical care, robots, and artificial intelligence. To meet the increasing demands for miniaturization and high integration of flexible electronics and extreme pressure sensing, there is an urgent need to develop self-powered broad-range electronic skins. Here, we report unprecedented battery-type self-powered one-body pressure-sensitive stretchable electronic skins consisting of highly elastic MXene/polyurethane (PU) aerogel anode, PU/lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4)/MXene cathode with microstructured surfaces, and poly (ionic liquid) ionogel electrolyte. The capability of pressure sensing of the electronic skins is achieved by the output current variation caused by resistance variation of the sensor under external pressure. The resulting electronic skins combine low detection limit (10 Pa), ultrabroad pressure detection range (10 Pa-3.2 MPa), high sensitivity, high fatigue resistance (up to 10,000 cycles under 65 kPa), wide working temperature range (−70 to 60 ℃), reversible stretchability (20 % strain), and thermal insulation. It is demonstrated that the electronic skins can be used for monitoring human body motions, physiological signals, and high pressures of tires. Besides, the electronic skins can enable the bionic hand and gripper to achieve broad-range tactile sensing under extreme environments. This work opens a new way to high-performance self-powered broad-range pressure-sensitive electronic skins.

Solvent-assisted thermogalvanic cell for enhanced low-grade heat harvesting over an extended temperature range

In the pursuit of sustainable energy harvesting from low-grade heat, thermogalvanic cells (TGCs) have received considerable attention, but still confront profound challenges in efficiency and cost-effectiveness, limiting their real-world applications. To expedite the deployment of TGCs, this study delves into the mechanistic interplay of three crucial determinants: intrinsic temperature coefficient, concentration gradient, and activity coefficient of redox couples, elucidating their impact on TGCs' thermoelectric performance. We report a solvent-assisted liquid-state thermogalvanic cell (SA-LTC) by incorporating organic solvents into the sodium ferrocyanide-based TGCs system. With ethanol as a regulator to the concentration gradient and solvation structure, the temperature coefficient of [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- can be enhanced from − 1.39 to − 4.32 mV K−1, leading to a five-fold increase in thermoelectric power and efficiency. Meanwhile, ethanol imparts a lower freezing point and wider working temperature range to the system, showing its better environmental adaptability. In particular, SA-LTC performs better at lower temperatures, at which it achieved a record-high temperature coefficient of − 5.26 mV K−1 and a power density of 2.17 mW m−2 K−2 at 10–20 °C. This study not only provides useful guidance to the optimization of electrolyte design, but also highlights the potential of TGCs for sustainable energy conversion in varied thermal conditions for practical applications.

Exploring Ti-rich ternary Laves phase alloys for efficient hydrogen storage

Striking an optimal balance between the hydrogen storage properties and cost, while identifying a viable material capable of storing hydrogen under ambient conditions, remains a persistent challenge in the present era. AB2-type laves phase alloys have garnered significant interest due to their hydrogen storage capabilities. This work employs a strategy of utilizing inexpensive Ti to occupy either Ni or Al sites, to form Ti-rich alloys, with the aim of enhancing the hydrogen storage properties of Ti–Ni–Al alloys. We used the first-principles approach to systematically explore the structural, electronic, and hydrogen storage properties of Ti-rich ternary Laves-phase alloys. Accordingly, we investigated two Ti-rich alloys for their hydrogen storage capabilities: one with a fixed Al-composition, Ti5Ni3Al4, and the other with a fixed Ni-composition, Ti5Ni4Al3. Our investigation shows that the A2B2 tetrahedral site is the energetically stable site for the hydrogen absorption of these alloys. Specifically, Ti-rich, with fixed Ni-concentration (Ti5Ni4Al3), exhibits a higher hydrogen weight percentage than the fixed Al-concentration (Ti5Ni3Al4). Furthermore, we have included the release temperatures corresponding to the hydrogen concentration. With enhanced kinetics in Ti5Ni4Al3, we conclude that the release temperatures are within the working temperature range for fuel cell applications. Additionally, we have used a thermodynamical model to explore the pressure–composition–temperature (PCT) curves for AB2 type laves phase systems and provided a comparative analysis for the compounds under study. This study offers valuable insights for the development of cost-effective, Ti–Ni–Al hydrogen storage alloys with better hydrogen storage properties.

A flexible, antifreezing, and long-term stable cellulose ionic conductive hydrogel via one-step preparation for flexible electronic sensors

Ionic conductive hydrogels have attracted great attention due to their good flexibility and conductivity in flexible electronic devices. However, because of the icing and water loss problems, the compatibility issue between the mechanical properties and conductivity of hydrogel electrolytes over a wide temperature range remains extremely challenging to achieve. Although, antifreezing/water-retaining additives could alleviate these problems, the reduced performance and complex preparation methods seriously limit their development. In this work, a simple strategy without additives was provided to prepare an ionic conductive cellulose hydrogel (ICH) in one step through molten salt hydrate. The hydrogel featured controllable mechanical properties (0.19 MPa - 0.67 MPa), high ionic conductivity (78.96 mS/cm), excellent freezing resistance (−80 °C). More importantly, due to the existing metal salts component, the ICH exhibited long-term stability in water-retention ability (75.6 %, after 90 days) and ionic conductivity (85 %, after 90 days) over a wide working temperature range (−80 °C to 40 °C). Benefiting from these advantages, the ICH exhibited excellent electromechanical performance in human movement detection and movement direction identification, indicating a promising apply for flexible electronic device.

Observation of Temperature Dependent Atomic Off‐Centering in High Entropy Cubic I‐V‐VI2/IV‐VI Alloys with Ultralow Thermal Conductivity

AbstractI‐V‐VI2/IV‐VI compounds and their alloys are of great interest in the field of thermoelectricity due to their unique high‐symmetry crystal structures and unexpectedly low thermal conductivity, which is closely related to the off‐centering effect in the cubic lattice. However, the influence of such an effect on thermal transport across different temperatures remains largely elusive. Herein, using in situ pair distribution function analysis, it is directly observed that the sustained low thermal conductivity in n‐type (AgBiSe2)1‐x(PbS)x alloys stem from the dynamic intelligent switching of local structural distortions over wide temperature windows for the first time. Under ambient conditions, the local off‐centering of central atoms dominates the phonon scattering, while at high temperatures, the geometrical configuration of the ligands predominantly modulates thermal conductivity due to lattice expansion and diminished cation off‐centering. The complementary synergistic effect leads to an ultralow thermal conductivity (<0.64 W m−1 K−1) for (AgBiSe2)0.65(PbS)0.35 across the entire working temperature range and yields a lattice thermal conductivity of only 0.33 W m−1 K−1 at 800 K approaching the glass limit. Atomic‐scale insights into the thermal conductivity mechanism of I‐V‐VI2/IV‐VI alloys provide important guidance for designing high‐efficiency thermoelectric materials over broad operational temperature ranges.

In Situ Synthesis of CoMoO4 Microsphere@rGO as a Matrix for High-Performance Li-S Batteries at Room and Low Temperatures.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (Li-S batteries) have attracted wide attention due to their high theoretical energy density and the low cost of sulfur cathode material. However, the poor conductivity of the sulfur cathode, the polysulfide shuttle effect, and the slow redox kinetics severely affect their cycling performance and Coulombic efficiencies, especially under low-temperature conditions, where these effects are more exacerbated. To address these issues, this study designs and synthesizes a microspherical cobalt molybdate@reduced graphene oxide (CoMoO4@rGO) composite material as the cathode material for Li-S batteries. By growing CoMoO4 nanoparticles on the rGO surface, the composite material not only provides a good conductive network but also significantly enhances the adsorption capacity to polysulfides, effectively suppressing the shuttle effect. After 100 cycles at room temperature with a current density of 1 C, the reversible specific capacity of the battery stabilizes at 805 mAh g-1. Notably, at -20 °C, the S/CoMoO4@rGO composite achieves a reversible specific capacity of 840 mAh g-1. This study demonstrates that the CoMoO4@rGO composite has significant advantages in suppressing polysulfide diffusion and expanding the working temperature range of Li-S batteries, showing great potential for applications in next-generation high-performance Li-S batteries.

Boosting Low-E electro-strain via high-electronegativity B-site substitution in lead-free K0.5Na0.5NbO3-based ceramics

Lead-free piezoelectric actuators emerge as promising substitutes for their lead-containing counterparts to address environmental concerns. However, they often confront a trade-off between low driving electric fields and high electro-strain. Herein, a novel strategy to boost electro-strain under low electric fields is proposed by doping high-electronegativity B-site atoms into perovskite potassium sodium niobate-based ceramics. Our findings reveal that high-electronegativity B-site atoms elevate the covalency of B-O bonding, softening the short-range repulsion and introducing local multiphase coexistence. This leads to more nanoscale domain structures and lower coercive field, thereby enabling large strains to be produced at lower electric fields. Notably, a substantial 0.2 % bipolar electro-strain and 0.1 % unipolar electro-strain under 10 kV cm-1 is achieved in Sr, Sb co-doped potassium sodium niobate ceramics, with a broad working frequency and temperature range, as well as excellent fatigue resistance. This study unveils innovative insights into designing lead-free piezoelectric ceramics with remarkable electro-strain performance and low driving electric field, promising a significant advancement in lead-free piezoelectric materials science and piezoelectric actuators.

A Review on Advanced Battery Thermal Management Systems for Fast Charging in Electric Vehicles

To protect the environment and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, the world is shifting towards electric vehicles (EVs) as a sustainable solution. The development of fast charging technologies for EVs to reduce charging time and increase operating range is essential to replace traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are efficient energy storage systems in EVs. However, the efficiency of LIBs depends significantly on their working temperature range. However, the huge amount of heat generated during fast charging increases battery temperature uncontrollably and may lead to thermal runaway, which poses serious hazards during the operation of EVs. In addition, fast charging with high current accelerates battery aging and seriously reduces battery capacity. Therefore, an effective and advanced battery thermal management system (BTMS) is essential to ensure the performance, lifetime, and safety of LIBs, particularly under extreme charging conditions. In this perspective, the current review presents the state-of-the-art thermal management strategies for LIBs during fast charging. The serious thermal problems owing to heat generated during fast charging and its impacts on LIBs are discussed. The core part of this review presents advanced cooling strategies such as indirect liquid cooling, immersion cooling, and hybrid cooling for the thermal management of batteries during fast charging based on recently published research studies in the period of 2019–2024 (5 years). Finally, the key findings and potential directions for next-generation BTMSs toward fast charging are proposed. This review offers an in-depth analysis by providing recommendations and potential solutions to develop reliable and efficient BTMSs for LIBs during fast charging.

Economic viability and overall performance analysis of optimized Cu-Fe-ZSM-5 catalyst for NOx and particulate matter removal using NH3-SCR

The necessity of a broader working temperature range of NH3-SCR catalysts has been considered as the need of the hour to tackle air pollutants like NOx and particulate matter (PM). The catalysts currently being used pose varied difficulties in the form of sulphur poisoning, inadequate temperature range, catalyst regeneration etc. An innovative and economic bimetallic combination of Cu-Fe on ZSM-5 with minimum weight percentage of metals and optimum efficiency has been synthesized in this study. In this research, we further focus on this Cu-Fe combination, to understand its feasibility for commercial applications. This bimetallic combination, used on the self-synthesized zeolite (ZSM-5), showed a consistent NOx removal efficiency of above 90% over the entire test temperature range, when compared with a commercially available zeolite. This Cu-Fe combination catalyst performed outstandingly in resisting sulphur poisoning and had NOx and PM emission coefficients well below the standard emissions control of Taiwan. It showed a good N2 selectivity as well. The study also analyses the cost-benefit ratio for the production of this catalyst for industrial applications with an annual net profit of around 14,66,124.09 USD for five parallel units.

Design and verification of high-precision dynamic temperature control system

In view of the fact that the current temperature environment simulation equipment is difficult to realize the temperature offset test of temperature-sensitive scientific payloads in deep space exploration, a high-precision dynamic temperature control system was designed and built, and then tested and verified. The system uses liquid nitrogen cold plate as the cold source, and realizes high-precision static 300 mm × 300 mm and dynamic temperature control on the contact surface of the payload through electric heating temperature control, heat pipe heat transfer and firmware heat conduction. The test results show that in the case of scientific payload-10 ∘C ∼ 45 ∘CWithin the working temperature range, the contact surface between the temperature control system and the scientificpayload can achieve high-precision temperature stability control, and the temperature fluctuation is better than ± 0.001 ∘C; at the same time, it can also realize ± 0.05 ∘C/1000 s ∼ 1 ∘C/1000 slinear control of the heating and cooling rate of the scientific payload contact surface. Compared with the temperature curve set by the temperature offset test, the maximum errors of the whole temperaturetracking are 0.003 ∘C and respectively 0.04 ∘C . The established temperature control system has the ability of high-precision temperature dynamic offset test, and has considerable application prospects in tasks such as deep space exploration payload development test.

Improving the energy storage efficiency and power density of polymer blend in combination with Ti3C2Tx for energy storage devices

Polymer blend-based dielectrics are extensively used because of their broad working temperature range, quick discharging speed, and high power density. The solution casting approach is used to prepare the PVDF/PMMA- Ti3C2Tx nanocomposite flexible energy storage films. The morphology results show that the composite has a homogeneous and dense microstructure. The structural study shows the composition of thin films and confirms the existence of the PVDF β-phase. The thermal analysis showed 31.36 % crystallinity for 20 wt% of nanocomposite (NCs). The values of band gap energy reduced from 3.07 eV to 2.65 eV with increasing Ti3C2Tx concentration (15 wt%). It was found that the almost high dielectric constant values of (̴205) at 100 Hz and loss of 0.078 were suggestive of increased interfacial polarization. The maximal energy density of the NCs is 1.28 J/cm3, and its power density is 4.86 MW/cm3 for 15 wt% NCs. The conductivities of 15 wt% composite increase to 10−9 –10−7 S.cm−1 at 100 Hz, and then it reaches nearly 10−3 S cm−1 when the frequency is raised to 1 MHz. The 2D MXene nanofiller and PVDF macromolecular chain have an improved interface interaction, which results in excellent complete electrical characteristics. The rise in residual polarization can be inhibited by adding PMMA. In this work, adding 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene to PVDF/PMMA blends offers a viable way to create materials that are highly effective at storing energy in capacitors.

Enhancing interfacial polarization and electrorheological effect of crosslinked poly(ionic liquid)s by doping aniline oligomer

Poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) are providing potential platforms to develop next generation water-free polyelectrolyte-based electrorheological (ER) fluids because they well overcome water sensitivity problem of classic polyelectrolyte-based ER fluids by incorporating with large size fluoric counterions. Especially, crosslinked PILs (CPILs) can further broaden the working temperature range of ER effect compared to linear PILs. However, the crosslinking network easily restricts the ion dissociation due to decreased dielectric constant and thus weakens ion movement-induced interfacial polarization and ER effect. In this paper, we propose a way to improve ion dissociation and ion movement-induced interfacial polarization of CPILs by doping polar aniline oligomer to improve the dielectric constant of CPILs. Several kinds of CPILs are synthesized and then aniline oligomer is doped into CPILs by swelling method. The structure of doped CPILs is characterized by different techniques, the dielectric property of ER fluids of doped CPIL particles in silicone oil is analyzed by dielectric spectroscopy, and the ER effect of ER fluids of doped CPIL particles is measured by rheometer under electric fields. It shows that doping aniline oligomer can increase the dielectric intensity and decrease the relaxation time and corresponding activation energy of interfacial polarization and improve the ER effect of CPILs with a relatively loose crosslinking network, while doping aniline oligomer has no contribution to the interfacial polarization and ER effect of CPILs with a relatively tight crosslinking network.

Reversible Giant Barocaloric Effect with Broad Working Temperature Range in an Amorphous Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer.

The barocaloric effect of a solid material is an intense research topic due to its potential application in solid-state refrigeration. Among the proposed candidates, elastic polymers are distinctive because their barocaloric responses are independent from a pressure-induced phase transition which makes it possible to realize a broad working temperature range in principle. However, the barocaloric performance of most elastic polymers diminishes significantly as temperature decreases. In this work, giant and reversible barocaloric effects were observed in a broad working temperature range from 252 to 345 K in an amorphous polymer of ethylene propylene diene monomer, which are much higher than the investigated crystalline and partially crystallized ones. It is demonstrated that the degree of crystallinity can be a key factor responsible for the mobility of polymer chains and the corresponding barocaloric performance at low temperatures. The reversible giant barocaloric effects, broad working temperature regions, low cost, and absence of pressure-transmitting fluid make the ethylene propylene diene monomer attractive for solid-state barocaloric refrigeration.

Dielectric anomalies and dc-resistivity degradation in PbNb2O6-based ceramics at high temperature

The lead metaniobate (PbNb2O6, PN) with high Curie temperature is widely used to fabricate transducer for high-temperature application up to 300 °C. However, evident dielectric anomalies and direct-current resistivity degradation were experimentally observed in PN-based ceramics at high temperature, which may significantly restrict the working temperature range for well logging application. When the sample was heat-treated at 260 °C for 3 h in silicon oil, the dc-resistivity of ceramics at 260 °C decreased from 3.8 × 108 to 1.0×107 Ω⋅cm, accompanied by 43 times increase in tanδ at 1 kHz. To investigate the cause of these phenomena, the in-situ piezoelectric, dielectric properties and dc-resistivity were systematically investigated in the samples subjected to heat-treatment at 260 °C in silicon oil. It is revealed that the porous structure of PN-based ceramics allows for the infiltration of silicon oil as a minor phase, and the accumulation of its decomposers within the pores would exert significant influence on the dielectric property and dc-resistivity of ceramics at elevated temperatures. However, the samples still demonstrate excellent thermal stability in piezoelectric property, with value of kt maintaining 0.39 at 260 °C in oil. In addition, the low Qm is not the intrinsic property of PN ceramics, but rather related to the phase transition of silicon oil within pores of ceramics, as indicated by the increase in Qm from 47 to 80 after heat-treatment in air.

Construction of Fully Integrated and Energy Self-Sufficient NO2 Gas Sensors Utilizing Zinc-Air Batteries.

Exploration of novel self-powered gas sensors free of external energy supply restrictions, such as light illumination and mechanical vibration, for flexible and wearable applications is in urgent need. Herein, this work constructs a flexible and self-powered NO2 gas sensor based on zinc-air batteries (ZABs) with the cathode of the ZABs also acting as the gas-sensitive layer. Furthermore, the SiO2 coating film, serving as a hydrophobic layer, increases the three-phase interfaces for the NO2 reduction reaction. The constructed sensors exhibit a high sensing response (0.3 V @ 5 ppm), an ultralow detection limit (61 ppb), a fast sensing process (129 and 103 s), and excellent selectivity. Moreover, the sensors also possess a wide working temperature range and a low working temperature tolerance (0.34 V at -15 °C). Simulations indicate that the hydrophobic surface at the cathode-hydrogel interface will accommodate more NO2 gas molecules at the reaction sites and prevent the influence of inner water evaporation and direct dissolution of NO2 in the electrolyte, which is beneficial to the enhanced gas sensing abilities. Finally, the self-powered sensing device is incorporated into a smart sensing system for practical applications. This work will pave a new insight into the construction of integrated and energy self-sufficient smart gas sensing systems.

Fabrication of organogel strain sensor with self-healing property and extreme temperature tolerance by using phytic acid-liquid metal as initiator

Wearable strain sensors have aroused myriad of interest in the domain of electronic skin, soft robotics, and biomedicine. Organogels for wearable strain sensors require desirable stretchability, sensing stability, self-healing property, and a wide working temperature range. However, the synthesis of such organogels typically involves complex and time-consuming processes. Herein, we proposed a rapid copolymerization method for organogels composed of poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylic amide) (P(AA-co-AM)), phytic acid (PA), liquid metal (LM), and polyethylene oxide (PEO). The dispersion of GaInSn in PA solution (GaInSn-PA) was synthesized and employed to initiate the copolymerization of acrylic acid (AA) and acrylic amide (AM), which significantly reduced polymerization time to 2–3 min at room temperature. The release of Ga3+ ions from the LM facilitated cross-linking of P(AA-co-AM) chains through coordination bonds, while also imparted conductivity to the organogel. The synergistic effect between hydrogen bonds and metal coordination bonds extensive within the polymer chains imparted exceptional stretchability (1079 % strain) and self-healing efficiency (98 % at 60 °C) to the organogel. Consequently, the resulting strain sensor demonstrated the ability to accurately monitor both subtle and large human motion, exhibiting remarkable repeatability and durability across a wide temperature range (-20 °C∼40 °C). In addition, the integration of strain sensors on limbs for robotic control through limb movements underscored its practical viability. This optimized fabrication approach and structural design strategy set a new precedent for the development of organogel strain sensors in various applications.

Large Nonhysteretic Volume Magnetostriction in a Strong and Ductile High-Entropy Alloy.

Rapid development of smart technologies poses a big challenge for magnetostrictive materials, which should not only permit isotropic and hysteresis-free actuation (i.e., nonhysteretic volume change) in magnetic fields, but also have high strength and high ductility. Unfortunately, the magnetostriction from self-assembly of ferromagnetic domains is volume-conserving; the volume magnetostriction from field-induced first-order phase transition has large intrinsic hysteresis; and most prototype magnetostrictive materials are intrinsically brittle. Here, a magnetic high-entropy alloy (HEA) Fe35Co35Al10Cr10Ni10 is reported that can rectify these challenges, exhibiting an unprecedented combination of large nonhysteretic volume magnetostriction, high tensile strength and large elongation strain, over a wide working temperature range from room temperature down to 100 K. Its exceptional properties stem from a dual-phase microstructure, where the face-centered cubic (FCC) matrix phase with nanoscale compositional and structural fluctuations can enable a magnetic-field-induced transition from low-spin small-volume state to high-spin large-volume state, and the ordered body-centered cubic (BCC) B2 phase contributes to mechanical strengthening. The present findings may provide insights into designing unconventional and technologically important magnetostrictive materials.

Improvement of piezoelectric and dielectric properties and expansion of stably working temperature range of KNN-based crystals through Li-doping

Improvement of piezoelectric and dielectric properties and expansion of stably working temperature range of KNN-based crystals through Li-doping

Wide-temperature-range pressure sensing by an aramid nanofibers/reduced graphene oxide flakes composite aerogel

Aerogel-based conductive materials have emerged as a major candidate for piezoresistive pressure sensors due to their excellent mechanical and electrical performance besides light-weighted and low-cost characteristics, showing great potential for applications in electronic skins, biomedicine, robot controlling and intelligent recognition. However, it remains a grand challenge for these piezoresistive sensors to achieve a high sensitivity across a wide working temperature range. Herein, we report a highly flexible and ultra-light composite aerogel consisting of aramid nanofibers (ANFs) and reduced graphene oxide flakes (rGOFs) for application as a high-performance pressure sensing material in a wide temperature range. By controlling the orientations of pores in the composite framework, the aerogel promotes pressure transfer by aligning its conductive channels. As a result, the ANFs/rGOFs aerogel-based piezoresistive sensor exhibits a high sensitivity of up to 7.10 kPa−1, an excellent stability over 12,000 cycles, and an ultra-wide working temperature range from −196 to 200 °C. It is anticipated that the ANFs/rGOFs composite aerogel can be used as reliable sensing materials in extreme environments.