Comb polymer electrolytes - Ionic conductivity and cation-polymer interaction

Three comb polymers(CP) with oligo-oxyethylene side chains of the type -O(CH2CH2O)(n)CH3 were prepared from methyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride alternating copolymer. Homogeneous amorphous polymer electrolytes were made from CP and LiCF3SO3 or LiClO4 by solvent-casting method, and their conductivities were measured as a function of temperature and salt concentration. The conductivity which displayed non-Arrhenius behaviour was analyzed using the Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher equation. The conductivity maximum appears at lower salt concentration when CP has longer side chains. XPS was used to study the cation-polymer interaction.

The ion selectivity of monensin incorporated phospholipid/alkanethiol bilayers

Monensin was incorporated into phospholipid/alkanethiol bilayers on the gold electrode surface by a new, paint-freeze method to deposit a lipid monolayer on the self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiol. The advantages of this assembly system with a suitable function for investigating the ion selective transfer across the mimetic biomembrane are based on the characteristics of SAMs of alkanethiols and monensin. On the one hand, the SAMs of alkanethiols bring out their efficiency of packing and coverage of the metal substrate and relatively long-term stability; on the other hand, monensin improves the ion selectivity noticeably. The selectivity coefficients K-Na+,K-K+, K-Na+,K-Rb+ and K-Na+,K-Ag+ are 6 x 10(-2), 7.2 x 10(-3) and 30 respectively. However, the selectivity coefficient K-Na+,K-Li+ could not be obtained by a potentiometric method due to the specific interaction between Li+ and phospholipid and the lower degree of complexion between Li+ and monensin. The potential response of this bilayer system to monovalent ions is fairly good. For example, the slope of the response to Na+ is close to 60 mV per decade and its linearity range is from 10(-1) to 10(-5) M with a detection limit of 2 x 10(-6) M, The bilayer is stable for at least two months without changing its properties. This monensin incorporated lipid/alkanethiol bilayer is a good mimetic biomembrane system, which provides great promise for investigating the ion transfer mechanism across the biomembrane and developing a practical biosensor.

The conductivity behavior of a polymer gel electrolyte

A new kind of polymer gel electrolyte which is composed of polytriethylene glycol dimethacrylate(PTREGD), propylene carbonate(PC) and LiPF6 has been prepared by thermal polymerization. The conductivity was measured as a function of temperature, and it was found that the Arrhenius equation was held very well through out the salt concentration studied. Maximum room temperature conductivity of 4.95 x 10(-4) S/cm, as well as a minimum activation energy value of 18.90 kJ/mol were obtained at the same salt concentration of 0.22 mol/L.

GAMMA-RADIATION INDUCED CROSS-LINKED PEO-LICLO4 SOLID-ELECTROLYTE SYSTEM

Aimed at raising the room temperature ionic conductivity of PEO-based solid polymer electrolyte and considered that the ionic conduction preferentially occurs in the amorphous phase, we lightly crosslinked the high MW PEO through gamma-irradiation and further suppressed the residual crystallinity by plasticizing with propylene carbonate. By incorporating LiClO4 salt to the above described polymer host, the ambient (25 degrees C) ionic conductivity of the electrolyte system could reach as high as 6.8 X 10(-4) S/cm. As the electrolyte was a crosslinked system, it was mechanically self-supportable. Based on the preliminary results of the electrochemical performance of the secondary lithium battery, assembled by using this kind of solid electrolyte and polyaniline as positive electrode, it is realized that the electrolyte thus prepared is of high expectancy.

CURE AND IONIC-CONDUCTIVITY OF A 2-COMPONENT EPOXY NETWORK POLYMER ELECTROLYTE

In order to raise the room temperature ionic conductivity and improve the mechanical strength of a PEO-based polymer electrolyte, a non-crystalline two-component epoxy network was synthesized by curing diglycidyl ether of polyethylene glycol (DGEPEG) with triglycidyl ether of glycerol (TGEG) in the presence of LiClO4 salt, which acts in this system as both a ring opening catalyst and a source of ionic carrier. The structure of the precursors, the curing process and the cured films have been characterized by C-13 NMR, IR, DSC and ionic conductivity measurement techniques. The electrolyte system exhibits an ionic conductivity as high as similar to 10(-5) S/cm at 25 degrees C and is mechanically self-supportable. The dependence of ionic conductivity was investigated as a function of temperature, salt content, MW of PEG segment in DGEPEG and the proportion of DGEPEG in DGEPEG/TGEG ratio.

Study of Methane Oxidative Coupling over Ti-La-Li Mixed Oxides

The composition and structures of Li-Ti-La mixed oxides as well as their catalytic activity for methane oxidative coupling have been studied by means of XRD XPS, IR, SEM and so on. The results indicate that by changing x value in Li-La1-xTixO2 oxides phas

SYNTHESIS AND X-RAY CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE OF AN ORGANOLANTHANIDE COMPLEX [(BU(T)CP)3NDBRLI(THF)3]

(ButCp)2NdCl.2THF reacts with one equivalent of phenyllithum in THF yielding tris(tert-butylcyclopentadienyl)neodymium lithium bromide tetrahydrofuran, [(ButCP)3 NdBrLi(THF)3], as a by-product, whose structure has been determined by X-ray crystallography. The 10-coordinated neodymium atom is bonded to three tert-butyl-cyclopentadienyl groups and one bromine atom, forming a distorted pseudo-tetrahedron.

THE IMPEDANCE STUDY OF MODIFIED PEO POLYMER ELECTROLYTE

The ultra-thin modified PEO (polyethylene oxide)-LiClO4 polymer electrolyte film (50-mu-m) was obtained by solution-casting technique. Impedance spectra were taken on the cells consisting of above PEO film electrolyte and ion-blocking or nonblocking electrodes. The ambient conductivity as high as 1.33 X 10(-4)S cm-1 could be achieved for PEO electrolyte modified by the crosslinking. It was shown that the resistance at the interface between solid polymer electrolyte and lithium electrode is growing with increasing the storage time. At high temperature, as 96-degrees-C, the ionic transport is clearly controlled by diffusion.

SYNTHESIS OF ALKALI-METAL HYDRIDES USING LANTHANIDE TRICHLORIDE-NAPHTHALENE AS CATALYST UNDER MILD CONDITIONS

The hydrogenation of alkali metals using lanthanide trichloride and naphthalene as catalyst has been studied. LnCl3(Ln = La, Nd, Sm, Dy, Yb) and naphthalene can catalyze the hydrogenation of sodium under atmospheric pressure and 40-degrees-C to form sodium hydride. The activities of lanthanide trichlorides are in the following order: LaCl3 > NdCl3 > SmCl3 > DyCl3 > YbCl3. Although lithium proceeds in the same catalytic reaction, the kinetic curve of the lithium hydrogenation is different from that of sodium. Lanthanide trichlorides display no catalytic effect on the hydrogenation of potassium in presence of naphthalene. The mechanism of this reaction has been studied and it is suggested that the anion-radical of alkali metal naphthalene complexes may be the intermediate for the hydrogenation of alkali metals and the function of LnCl3 is to catalyze the hydrogenation of the intermediate. The products are porous solids with high specific surface area (83 m2/g for NaH) and pyrophoric in air. They are far more active than the commercial alkali metal hydrides. The combination of these hydrides with some transition metal complexes exhibits high catalytic activity for the hydrogenation of olefins.

beta-catenin in early development of the lancelet embryo indicates specific determination of embryonic polarity

The lancelet (amphioxus) embryo develops from a miolecithal egg and starts gastrulation when it is approximately 400 cells in size, in a fashion similar to that of some non-chordate deuterostomes. Throughout this type of gastrulation, the embryo develops characteristics such as the notochord and hollow nerve cord that commonly appear in chordates. beta-Catenin is an important factor in initiating body patterning. The behavior and developmental pattern of this protein in early lancelet development was examined in this study. Cytoplasmic beta-catenin was localized to the animal pole after fertilization and then was incorporated asymmetrically into the blastomeres during the first cleavage. Asymmetric distribution was observed at least until the 32-cell stage. The first nuclear localization was at the 64-cell stage, and involved all of the cells. At the initial gastrula stage, however, concentrated beta-catenin was found on the dorsal side. LiCl treatment affected the asymmetric pattern of beta-catenin during the first cleavage. LiCl also changed distribution of nuclear beta-catenin at the initial gastrula stage: distribution extended to cells on the animal side. Apparently associated with this change, expression domains of goosecoid, lhx3 and otx also changed to a radially symmetric pattern centered at the animal pole. However, LiCl-treated embryos were able to establish embryonic polarity. The present study suggests that in the lancelet embryo, polarity determination is independent of dorsal morphogenesis.

长江流域的锂及锂同位素地球化学研究

锂的两个同位素（6Li和7Li）之间相对大的质量差导致它们在自然界的分馏强烈，仅在表生环境就达到了35‰。因而，作为一种有效的示踪剂被广泛地应用于研究宇宙事件、洋壳蚀变及海底热液活动、板块活动、壳幔演化以及示踪卤水来源等地球化学过程。近年来则以大陆风化过程的锂同位素地球化学研究为热点，主要研究方向包括流域尺度大空间范围的总体研究、风化壳剖面的精细研究以及实验室的模拟研究，均涉及水/岩作用过程的锂同位素分馏机理研究。但是，现有的研究结果有的需要进一步论证，有的相互之间存在矛盾，还有部分结论不能自圆其说。 因此，本项论文工作以地表环境过程的锂同位素地球化学研究为切入点，选择长江水系干流和主要支流的地表水、悬浮物和沉积物为研究对象。在低含量样品锂同位素分析方法研究和完善的基础上，就河流体系锂的来源、流域体系的锂同位素组成变化特征及其主要受控因素等方面开展探索性研究。 通过以上研究，本论文得出以下几点认识： 1、采用单一的阳离子树脂柱分离、提纯样品锂，MC-ICP-MS测定其同位素组成。其分析结果的准确度和精确度可以达到现阶段报道的最高水平。海水的锂同位素组成为+31.3±1.0‰（2σ）与前人测定结果的平均值（+31.2‰）接近；样品分析误差约为0.5‰（2σ），与TIMS的分析结果相似。 2、长江水系河水以富含HCO3-、Ca2+为主要特征，两者分别占阴、阳离子总量的70%和50%；其中，以Na+、Cl-含量的变化最大。长江河水的主要离子组成主要受流域岩石风化作用影响，蒸发结晶作用只在少数点起次要作用，而大气沉降的输入十分微弱。岩石风化作用以碳酸盐岩风化的影响最为显著，蒸发盐岩和硅酸岩的影响较小，仅限于长江流域的局部地区。 3、长江水系悬浮物的锂含量及δ7Li值变化较小，分别为41 µg/g~92 µg/g和-4.7‰~+0.7‰。沉积物的锂含量在13.26 µg/g~46.32 µg/g之间，略低于悬浮物的锂含量，而δ7Li较高，在+0.9‰和+9.1‰之间变化。悬浮物和沉积物的锂含量与Al2O3/SiO2、Fe2O3/SiO2、MnO/SiO2及K2O/SiO2等比值之间存在明显的正相关关系，与δ7Li值存在一定的负相关关系，主要表现为粘土矿物对锂的吸附作用，尤其是6Li。 4、长江水系河水的锂含量在1.04 µg/L和31.72 µg/L之间，平均为8.87 µg/L，呈现出从上游至下游逐渐降低的趋势，最高值出现在长江上游的攀枝花段（CJ1）。其锂同位素组成变化也较大，δ7Li值在+7.6‰和+28.1‰之间，但是却呈现出与锂含量变化相反的特征，即从上游至下游逐渐增加，最小值出现在长江上游的攀枝花段(CJ1)。 5、长江干流水体的锂摩尔浓度的倒数（1/Li）和δ7Li值之间存在明显的正相关关系，可能是两个端员组分混合的结果。综合考虑雨水、人为输入和碳酸盐岩对长江干流河水的贡献后，我们认为长江干流河水的锂应该是来自于流域岩石风化的贡献，即蒸发盐岩的溶解和硅酸岩的风化，两者对长江河水锂的贡献在78%和99%之间。 6、悬浮物总是比相应水体富集6Li，导致两者之间的锂同位素分馏明显。悬浮物和河水之间的锂同位素分馏系数（α矿物-流体）在0.976和0.993之间比变化，落在不同粘土矿物吸附产生的分馏范围内。长江上游地区的α矿物-流体落在室温下水铝矿和蒙脱石对锂吸附产生的分馏范围内，下游地区的α矿物-流体则与蛭石和高岭石对水体锂的吸附分馏范围内。除此之外，α矿物-流体还与悬浮物的量密切相关，尤其是在河水进入三峡库区之前。这种相关性同样是粘土矿物对6Li的优先吸附引起的。

Oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane and propane over Mn-based catalysts

The catalytic performances of Mn-based catalysts have been investigated for the oxidative dehydrogenation of both ethane (ODE) and propane (ODP). The results show that a LiCl/MnOx/PC (Portland cement) catalyst has an excellent catalytic performance for oxidative dehydrogenation of both ethane and propane to ethylene and propylene, more than 60% alkanes conversion and more than 80% olefins selectivity could be achieved at 650 degrees C. In addition, the results indicate that Mn-based catalysts belong to p-type semiconductors, the electrical conductivity of which is the main factor in influencing the olefins selectivity. Lithium, chlorine and PC in the LiCl/MnOx/PC catalyst are all necessary components to keep the excellent catalytic performance at a low temperature.

Formation of channels for fast-ion diffusion in alkali silicate melts: A quasielastic neutron scattering study

Kargl, Florian; Meyer, A.; Koza, M.M.; Schober, H., (2006) 'Formation of channels for fast-ion diffusion in alkali silicate melts: A quasielastic neutron scattering study', Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics 74 pp.14304 RAE2008

Li+ Diffusion and its Structural Basis in the Nanocrystalline and Amorphous Forms of Two-dimensionally Ion-conducting LixTiS2

Winter, Rudolf; Heitjans, P., (2001) 'Li+ Diffusion and its Structural Basis in the Nanocrystalline and Amorphous Forms of Two-dimensionally Ion-conducting LixTiS2', Journal of Physical Chemistry B 105(26) pp.6108-6115 RAE2008

Wearable wireless inertial measurement for sports applications

A wearable WIMU (Wireless Inertial Measurement Unit) [1] system for sports applications based on Tyndall's 25mm mote technology [2] has been developed to identify tennis performance determining factors, giving coaches & players improved feedback [3, 4]. Multiple WIMUs transmit player motion data to a PC/laptop via a receiver unit. Internally the WIMUs consist of: an IMU layer with MEMS based sensors; a microcontroller/transceiver layer; and an interconnect layer with supplemental 70g accelerometers and a lithium-ion battery. Packaging consists of a robust ABS plastic case with internal padding, a power switch, battery charging port and status LED with Velcro-elastic straps that are used to attach the device to the player. This offers protection from impact, sweat, and movement of sensors which could cause degradation in device performance. In addition, an important requirement for this device is that it needs to be lightweight and comfortable to wear. Calibration ensures that misalignment of the accelerometer and magnetometer axes are accounted for, allowing more accurate measurements to be made.