MEMS SENSOR PLATFORMS FOR IN SITU CHARACTERIZATION OF LI-ION BATTERY ELECTRODES

Lithium-ion batteries provide high energy density while being compact and light-weight and are the most pervasive energy storage technology powering portable electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, and tablet PCs. Considerable efforts have been made to develop new electrode materials with ever higher capacity, while being able to maintain long cycle life. A key challenge in those efforts has been characterizing and understanding these materials during battery operation. While it is generally accepted that the repeated strain/stress cycles play a role in long-term battery degradation, the detailed mechanisms creating these mechanical effects and the damage they create still remain unclear. Therefore, development of techniques which are capable of capturing in real time the microstructural changes and the associated stress during operation are crucial for unravelling lithium-ion battery degradation mechanisms and further improving lithium-ion battery performance. This dissertation presents the development of two microelectromechanical systems sensor platforms for in situ characterization of stress and microstructural changes in thin film lithium-ion battery electrodes, which can be leveraged as a characterization platform for advancing battery performance. First, a Fabry-Perot microelectromechanical systems sensor based in situ characterization platform is developed which allows simultaneous measurement of microstructural changes using Raman spectroscopy in parallel with qualitative stress changes via optical interferometry. Evolutions in the microstructure creating a Raman shift from 145 cm−1 to 154 cm−1 and stress in the various crystal phases in the LixV2O5 system are observed, including both reversible and irreversible phase transitions. Also, a unique way of controlling electrochemically-driven stress and stress gradient in lithium-ion battery electrodes is demonstrated using the Fabry-Perot microelectromechanical systems sensor integrated with an optical measurement setup. By stacking alternately stressed layers, the average stress in the stacked electrode is greatly reduced by 75% compared to an unmodified electrode. After 2,000 discharge-charge cycles, the stacked electrodes retain only 83% of their maximum capacity while unmodified electrodes retain 91%, illuminating the importance of the stress gradient within the electrode. Second, a buckled membrane microelectromechanical systems sensor is developed to enable in situ characterization of quantitative stress and microstructure evolutions in a V2O5 lithium-ion battery cathode by integrating atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Using dual-mode measurements in the voltage range of the voltage range of 2.8V – 3.5V, both the induced stress (~ 40 MPa) and Raman intensity changes due to lithium cycling are observed. Upon lithium insertion, tensile stress in the V2O5 increases gradually until the α- to ε-phase and ε- to δ-phase transitions occur. The Raman intensity change at 148 cm−1 shows that the level of disorder increases during lithium insertion and progressively recovers the V2O5 lattice during lithium extraction. Results are in good agreement with the expected mechanical behavior and disorder change in V2O5, highlighting the potential of microelectromechanical systems as enabling tools for advanced scientific investigations. The work presented here will be eventually utilized for optimization of thin film battery electrode performance by achieving fundamental understanding of how stress and microstructural changes are correlated, which will also provide valuable insight into a battery performance degradation mechanism.

聚合物膜离子选择性电极的制备与性能研究

聚合物膜离子选择性电极具有选择性高、使用简便、价格低廉等优点，在环境监测中日益受到人们的关注。这类电极的响应特性主要取决于聚合物膜相中起分子识别作用的离子载体的选择性。本文设计合成了一系列对重金属离子具有高选择性的有机配体，并将其作为电中性离子载体应用于银、汞、锌、铬等离子选择性电极中，实现了对重金属离子的高选择性测定。此外，我们对海水中有机物质的紫外线消解进行了研究，优化了消解条件，采用离子选择性电极技术实现了对海水中重金属污染物的快速检测。具体内容如下： 1、以硫氮杂冠醚为离子载体的银离子选择性电极制备及性能研究。 合成了一系列硫氮杂冠醚配体，通过优化反应条件，提高了反应产率，简化了产物处理过程。将此类冠醚作为离子载体用于银离子选择性电极的制备，并讨论了冠醚环大小、冠醚环的韧性以及硫原子个数对电极选择性的影响。在此研究基础上，利用沉淀-溶解平衡法调节内充液主离子浓度，采用冠醚9，10，12，13，24，25-六氢-5H，15H，23H-二苯[b，q][1，7，10，13，19，4，16]五硫二氮二十三环-6，16 (7H，17H)-二酮环作为低检出限银离子选择性电极载体，通过优化电极的内充液和聚合物膜组份，测得最低检出限为2.2×10-10 M，电极电位响应斜率为54.5 mV/dec.，线性范围为1.0×10-9-1.0×10-5 M，电极使用寿命为一个月。采用标准加入法，成功实现了自来水中银离子浓度的测试，并以该电极作为指示电极，以硝酸银溶液为滴定剂，成功滴定了I-、Br-和Cl-离子的混合液。 2、以1，2，4-三唑衍生物为离子载体的汞离子选择性电极的制备及性能表征。 设计合成了一种基于1，2，4-三唑的希夫碱结构化合物，3，5-二(二硫代甲酸苄酯肼基-2-亚甲胺基苯氧甲基)-1-(四氢-2H-吡喃)-1H-1，2，4-三唑，并成功用作中性载体实现对汞离子的测定。在最佳膜组分条件下，以该化合物作为载体的汞离子选择性电极的检出限为2.6×10-7 M Hg2+，电极电位响应斜率为29.3±0.3 mV/dec.，线性范围为1.0×10-6-3.0×10-4 M。该电极使用寿命为2个月，在pH 2.6-5.2范围内测试不受酸度影响。以该电极为指示电极，以EDTA为滴定剂，可准确滴定溶液中汞离子的浓度。 3、以希夫碱结构化合物为离子载体的锌离子选择性电极的制备及性能研究。 本文设计了一种含吡啶杂环的希夫碱结构化合物(E)-N'-(吡啶-2-亚甲胺基)-2-((E)-吡啶-2-亚甲胺基)苯甲酰肼，并成功用作离子载体实现对锌离子的测定。在最佳膜组分条件下，以该化合物为载体的锌离子选择性电极的检出限为7.4×10-7M Zn2+，电极电位响应斜率为25.9 mV/dec.，线性范围为1.0×10-6-1.0×10-3 M。该电极使用寿命为3个月，在pH 3.4-5.8范围内测试不受酸度影响。以该电极为指示电极，以EDTA为滴定剂，可准确滴定溶液中锌离子的浓度。 4、紫外光在线消解技术用于离子选择性电极测试海水中重金属离子的研究。 海水中重金属离子大多以络合物形式存在，而离子选择性电极只对游离态金属离子响应，因此要实现离子选择性电极测试海水中的重金属，首先必须使金属离子从络合物中游离出来。紫外光消解方法相对于其它海水预处理手段是一种清洁的样品预处理方法。我们以模拟海水为考察对象，考察了盐度、酸度、有机物浓度对消解效率的影响，并在优化消解条件的基础上对实际海水进行消解，利用离子选择性电极成功实现了海水中铜离子浓度的测试，测试值与ICP-MS数值一致。 5、合成希夫碱结构罗丹明B衍生物作为载体和分子探针用于Cr3+离子的检测。 设计合成了希夫碱结构罗丹明B衍生物2-亚甲胺基-8-乙酯基喹啉-罗丹明。荧光法显示，在化合物对铬离子(III)有较好的选择性，进而我们将该化合物作为分子探针进行了详细的研究。结果表明，分子探针与铬离子配位比为1:1，铬离子响应的线性范围是8.0×10-7-8.0×10-5 M，检测下限为1.9×10-7 M。电化学测试结果显示，基于该化合物为载体的离子选择性电极对铬离子(III)的选择性较差。

ADVANCED ELECTROANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY IN CHINA .1. GENERAL ASPECT AND SOME METHODOLOGIES

The Research on Electroanalytical chemistry in China started mainly from the beginning of new China in 1949. It has already good basis and development nowadays. A review with references to the end of seventies has been published in "Reviews in Analytical Chemistry" 1) and in a book titled "Fifty years of Chinese Chemistry" edited by the Chinese Chemical Society in 1985 2). Since then more than thousand papers have been published, and it is impossible and also not necessary to describe all of them. This review only deals with the main progress of electroanalytical chemistry in China in recent years. Some new developed methodologies will be reviewed by S. Dong in the next article.

Development of a highly-miniaturised wireless ISE/pH sensor

The goal of this work is to fabricate robust, highly-miniaturised, wireless sensor modules that incorporates ion-selective electrodes (ISEs). pH is one of the main parameters in assessment of the quality of our environment (water, soil) and these ISE/pH sensors will be deployed in a miniaturised, programmable modular system. The simplicity of ISEs (low costs and low power requirements) allow for the preparation of sensors that are all very similar in construction but can at the same time be easily made for variety of different environmentally important ions (i.e. heavy metals). This is important because of the increasing focus on the impact of the quality of the environment on society, both locally, and globally. The work described will contribute to a widely distributed sensor network for monitoring the quality of our environment, focused mainly on soil and water quality.

Comparison of AGNES (absence of gradients and Nernstian equilibrium stripping) and SSCP (scanned stripping chronopotentiometry) for trace metal speciation analysis

The free metal ion concentrations obtained by SSCP (stripping chronopotentiometry at scanned deposition potential) and by AGNES (absence of gradients and Nernstian equilibrium stripping) techniques have been compared and the usefulness of the combination of both techniques in the same electrochemical cell for trace metal speciation analysis is assessed. The free metal ion concentrations and the stability constants obtained for lead(II) and cadmium(II) complexation by pyridinedicarboxylic acid, by 40 nm radius carboxylated latex nanospheres and by a humic acid extracted from an ombrotrophic peat bog were determined. Whenever possible, the free metal ion concentrations were compared with the theoretical predictions of the code MEDUSA and with the free metal ion concentrations estimated from ion selective electrodes (ISE). SSCP values were in agreement with the ones obtained by AGNES, and both of them agreed reasonably with the ISE values and the theoretical predictions. For the lead(II)-humic acid, it was not possible to obtain the stability constants by SSCP due to the heterogeneity effect. However, using AGNES it is possible to obtain, for these heterogeneous systems, the free bulk metal concentration, which allows us to retrieve the stability constant at bulk conditions.

Desenvolvimento de Anticorpos Plásticos para um Biomarcador do Cancro

O trabalho descrito compreende o desenvolvimento de um anticorpo plástico (MIP, do inglês Molecularly Imprinted Polymer) para o antigénio carcinoembrionário (CEA, do inglês Carcinoembriogenic Antigen) e a sua aplicação na construção de dispositivos portáteis, de tamanho reduzido e de baixo custo, tendo em vista a monitorização deste biomarcador do cancro do colo-retal em contexto Point-of-Care (POC). O anticorpo plástico foi obtido por tecnologia de impressão molecular orientada, baseada em eletropolimerização sobre uma superfície condutora de vidro recoberto por FTO. De uma forma geral, o processo foi iniciado pela electropolimerização de anilina sobre o vidro, seguindo-se a ligação por adsorção do biomarcador (CEA) ao filme de polianilina, com ou sem monómeros carregados positivamente (Cloreto de vinilbenziltrimetilamónio, VB). A última fase consistiu na electropolimerização de o-fenilenodiamina (oPD) sobre a superfície, seguindo-se a remoção da proteína por clivagem de ligações peptídicas, com o auxílio de tripsina. A eficiência da impressão do biomarcador CEA no material polimérico foi controlada pela preparação de um material análogo, NIP (do inglês, Non-Imprinted Polymer), no qual nem a proteína nem o monómero VB estavam presentes. Os materiais obtidos foram caracterizados quimicamente por técnicas de Infravermelho com Transformada de Fourier (FTIR, do inglês, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) e microscopia confocal de Raman. Os materiais sensores preparados foram entretanto incluídos em membranas poliméricas de Poli(cloreto de vinilo) (PVC) plastificado, para construção de sensores (biomiméticos) seletivos a CEA, tendo-se avaliado a resposta analítica em diferentes meios. Obteve-se uma boa resposta potenciométrica em solução tampão de Ácido 4-(2-hidroxietil)piperazina-1-etanosulfónico (HEPES), a pH 4,4, com uma membrana seletiva baseada em MIP preparada com o monómero carregado VB. O limite de deteção foi menor do que 42 pg/mL, observando-se um comportamento linear (versus o logaritmo da concentração) até 625 pg/mL, com um declive aniónico igual a -61,9 mV/década e r2>0,9974. O comportamento analítico dos sensores biomiméticos foi ainda avaliado em urina, tendo em vista a sua aplicação na análise de CEA em urina. Neste caso, o limite de deteção foi menor do que 38 pg/mL, para uma resposta linear até 625 pg/mL, com um declive de -38,4 mV/década e r2> 0,991. De uma forma geral, a aplicação experimental dos sensores biomiméticos evidenciou respostas exatas, sugerindo que os biossensores desenvolvidos prossigam estudos adicionais tendo em vista a sua aplicação em amostras de indivíduos doentes.

Desenvolvimento e aplicação de um biossensor para monitorização de creatinina, um biomarcador associado a doenças emergentes

Este trabalho descreve o desenvolvimento de um material sensor para creatinina por impressão molecular em estrutura polimérica (MIP) e a sua aplicação no desenvolvimento de um dispositivo de natureza potenciométrica para a determinação da molécula alvo em fluidos biológicos. A creatinina é um dos biomarcadores mais utilizados no acompanhamento da doença renal, já que é um bom indicador da taxa de filtração glomerular (TFG). Os materiais biomiméticos desenhados para interação com a creatinina foram obtidos por polimerização radicalar, recorrendo a monómeros de ácido metacríclico ou de vinilpiridina e a um agente de reticulação apropriado. De modo a aferir o efeito da impressão da creatinina na resposta dos materiais MIP à sua presença, foram também preparados e avaliados materiais de controlo, obtidos sem impressão molecular (NIP). O controlo da constituição química destes materiais, incluindo a extração da molécula impressa, foi realizado por Espectroscopia de Raman e de Infravermelho com Transformada de Fourrier. A afinidade de ligação entre estes materiais e a creatinina foi também avaliada com base em estudos cinéticos. Todos os materiais descritos foram integrados em membranas selectivas de elétrodos seletivos de ião, preparadas sem ou com aditivo iónico lipófilo, de carga negativa ou positiva. A avaliação das características gerais de funcionamento destes elétrodos, em meios de composição e pH diferentes, indicaram que as membranas com materiais impressos e aditivo aniónico eram as únicas com utilidade analítica. Os melhores resultados foram obtidos em solução tampão Piperazine-N,N′-bis(2- ethanesulfonic acid), PIPES, de pH 2,8, condição que permitiu obter uma resposta quasi-Nernstiana, a partir de 1,6×10-5 mol L-1. Estes elétrodos demonstraram ainda uma boa selectividade ao apresentaram uma resposta preferencial para a creatinina quando na presença de ureia, carnitina, glucose, ácido ascórbico, albumina, cloreto de cálcio, cloreto de potássio, cloreto de sódio e sulfato de magnésio. Os elétrodos foram ainda aplicados com sucesso na análise de amostras sintéticas de urina, quando os materiais sensores eram baseados em ácido metacrilico, e soro, quando os materiais sensores utilizados eram baseados em vinilpiridina.

New and low cost plastic membrane electrode with low detection limits for sulfadimethoxine determination in aquaculture waters

Sulfadimethoxine (SDM) is one of the drugs, often used in the aquaculture sector to prevent the spread of disease in freshwater fish aquaculture. Its spread through the soil and surface water can contribute to an increase in bacterial resistance. It is therefore important to control this product in the environment. This work proposes a simple and low-cost potentiometric device to monitor the levels of SDM in aquaculture waters, thus avoiding its unnecessary release throughout the environment. The device combines a micropipette tip with a PVC membrane selective to SDM, prepared from an appropriate cocktail, and an inner reference solution. The membrane includes 1% of a porphyrin derivative acting as ionophore and a small amount of a lipophilic cationic additive (corresponding to 0.2% in molar ratio). The composition of the inner solution was optimized with regard to the kind and/or concentration of primary ion, chelating agent and/or a specific interfering charged species, in different concentration ranges. Electrodes constructed with inner reference solutions of 1 × 10−8 mol/L SDM and 1 × 10−4 mol/L chromate ion showed the best analytical features. Near-Nernstian response was obtained with slopes of −54.1 mV/decade, an extraordinary detection limit of 7.5 ng/mL (2.4 × 10−8 mol/L) when compared with other electrodes of the same type. The reproducibility, stability and response time are good and even better than those obtained by liquid contact ISEs. Recovery values of 98.9% were obtained from the analysis of aquaculture water samples.

Myoglobin-biomimetic electroactive materials made by surface molecular imprinting on silica beads and their use as ionophores in polymeric membranes for potentiometric transduction

Myoglobin (Mb) is among the cardiac biomarkers playing a major role in urgent diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Its monitoring in point-of-care is therefore fundamental. Pursuing this goal, a novel biomimetic ionophore for the potentiometric transduction of Mb is presented. It was synthesized by surface molecular imprinting (SMI) with the purpose of developing highly efficient sensor layers for near-stereochemical recognition of Mb. The template (Mb) was imprinted on a silane surface that was covalently attached to silica beads by means of self-assembled monolayers. First the silica was modified with an external layer of aldehyde groups. Then, Mb was attached by reaction with its amine groups (on the external surface) and subsequent formation of imine bonds. The vacant places surrounding Mb were filled by polymerization of the silane monomers 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) and propyltrimethoxysilane (PTMS). Finally, the template was removed by imine cleavage after treatment with oxalic acid. The results materials were finely dispersed in plasticized PVC selective membranes and used as ionophores in potentiometric transduction. The best analytical features were found in HEPES buffer of pH 4. Under this condition, the limits of detection were of 1.3 × 10−6 mol/L for a linear response after 8.0 × 10−7 mol/L with an anionic slope of −65.9 mV/decade. The imprinting effect was tested by preparing non-imprinted (NI) particles and employing these materials as ionophores. The resulting membranes showed no ability to detect Mb. Good selectivity was observed towards creatinine, sacarose, fructose, galactose, sodium glutamate, and alanine. The analytical application was conducted successfully and showed accurate and precise results.

Smart Plastic Antibody Material for Hemoglobin Tailored by Silica Surface Imprinting and with Charged Binding Sites: Its use as Ionophore in Potentiometric Transduction

JORNADAS DE ELECTROQUÍMICA E INOVAÇÃO 2013

Fabrication of Potentiometric Sensors for the Determination of Lanthanide Ions

In many fields such as earth science biology, environment and electronics, the knowledge about elemental distributions and chemical speciation is important. The determination of metal levels especially the toxic ones both in the environment and in biological materials are increasingly demanded by the society.Ion selective sensors have become one of the most effective ad powerful means for analytical scientists for the trace level monitoring of metal ions. The wide range of applications ,low material requirements and simplicity of analytical procedure have not only brought ion-selective electrodes in to the lime light of analytical chemistry,but have promoted their use as tools for physiologists,medical researchers,biologists,geologists,environmental protection specialists etc.Potentiometric ion-selective sensors have been developed for the determination of lanthanide ions such as La3+,Nd3+,Pr3+,Sm3+, and Gd3+.The sensors fabricated include both PVC membrane sensor and chemically modified carbon paste sensor. A set of 10 sensors have been developed. The response parameters of all the sensors have been studied and the sensors were applied as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration and for the determination of metal ions in real samples.

Development of Macrocyclics based Electrochemical Sensors

Electroanalytical techniques represent a class of powerful and versatile analytical method which is based on the electrical properties of a solution of the analyte when it is made part of an electrochemical cell. They offer high sensitivity, accuracy, precision and a large linear dynamic range. The cost of instrumentation is relatively low compared to other instrumental methods of analysis. Many solid state electrochemical sensors have been commercialised nowadays. Potentiometry is a very simple electroanalytical technique with extraordinary analytical capabilities. Since valinomycin was introduced as an ionophore for K+, Ion Selective Electrodes have become one of the best studied and understood analytical devices. It can be used for the determination of substances ranging from simple inorganic ions to complex organic molecules. It is a very attractive option owing to the wide range of applications and ease of the use of the instruments employed. They also possess the advantages of short response time, high selectivity and very low detection limits. Moreover, analysis by these electrodes is non-destructive and adaptable to small sample volumes. It has become a standard technique for medical researchers, biologists, geologists and environmental specialists. This thesis presents the synthesis and characterisation of five ionophores. Based on these ionophores, nine potentiometric sensors are fabricated for the determination of ions such as Pb2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Cu2+ and Sal- ion (Salicylate ion). The electrochemical characterisation and analytical application studies of the developed sensors are also described. The thesis is divided into eight chapters

Hydrochemical evaluation of different spring waters for bottling

This investigation was carried out within the Parana sedimentary basin in São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul States, Brazil, and involved the sampling of different spring water samples with the purpose of evaluating their quality for bottling Several methods were utilized for acquiring the hydrochemical data, such as methyl orange end-point titration, potentiometry, ion selective electrodes, spectrophotometry, atomic absorption spectrophotometry and inductively coupled plasma spectrometry The results obtained for the analyzed samples were compared with the guideline values established by the São Paulo State and Brazilian Health Ministry legislations for defining the potable water standards The Brazilian Code for Mineral Waters that was established by Register 7841 published on 8 August 1945 was also taken into account for verifying if the spring waters are mineralized The hydrochemical data allowed the identification of anthropogenic and geogenic inputs of some constituents in most of the samples, which affected the water quality and did not allow them to be utilized for commercial purposes (bottling) The waters of these springs can only become appropriate for human consumption after previous chemical treatment

Ionic medium effects on equilibrium constants .1. Proton, copper(II), cadmium(II), lead(II) and acetate activity coefficients in aqueous solution

The molar single ion activity coefficients associated with hydrogen, copper(II), cadmium(II) and lead(II) ions were determined at 25 degrees C and ionic strengths between 0.100 and 3.00 M (NaClO4), whereas for acetate the ionic strengths were fixed between 0.300 and 2.00 M, held with the same inert electrolyte. The investigation was carried out potentiometrically by using proton-sensitive glass, copper, cadmium and lead ion-selective electrodes and a second-class Hg\Hg-2(CH3COO)(2) electrode. It was found that the activity coefficients of these ions (y(i)) can be assessed through the following empirical equations:log y(H) = -0.542I(0.5) + 0.451I; log y(Cu) = -1.249I(0.5) + 0.912I; log y(Cd) = -0.829I(0.5) + 0.448I(1.5);log y(Pb) = -0.404I(0.5) + 0.117I(2); and log y(Ac) = 0.0370I .