Metal-organic chemical vapor-deposited cobalt oxide films as negative electrodes for thin film Li-ion battery

In this study, thin films of cobalt oxide (Co3O4) have been grown by the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique on stainless steel substrate at two preferred temperatures (450 degrees C and 500 degrees C), using cobalt acetylacetonate dihydrate as precursor. Spherical as well as columnar microstructures of Co3O4 have been observed under controlled growth conditions. Further investigations reveal these films are phase-pure, well crystallized and carbon-free. High-resolution TEM analysis confirms that each columnar structure is a continuous stack of minute crystals. Comparative study between these Co3O4 films grown at 450 degrees C and 500 degrees C has been carried out for their application as negative electrodes in Li-ion batteries. Our method of electrode fabrication leads to a coating of active material directly on current collector without any use of external additives. A high specific capacity of 1168 micro Ah cm(-2) mu m(-1) has been measured reproducibly for the film deposited at 500 degrees C with columnar morphology. Further, high rate capability is observed when cycled at different current densities. The Co3O4 electrode with columnar structure has a specific capacity 38% higher than the electrode with spherical microstructure (grown at 450 degrees C). Impedance measurements on the Co3O4 electrode grown at 500 degrees C also carried out to study the kinetics of the electrode process. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V.

西藏齿突蟾蝌蚪冷适应策略研究

本文通过对高海拔两栖类西藏齿突蟾(Scutiger boulengeri)蝌蚪在实验室特定低温条件下的冷适应微空间行为分布的动态变化分析、温度耐受性实验及在不同适应温度的乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)同工酶的酶量与活性比较分析, 探讨了高海拔两栖类蝌蚪的部分冷适应策略。 西藏齿突蟾蝌蚪在不同温度的行为分布是一连续、动态过程，需用多种检验方法综合利用才能进行判断；在15℃, 除低海拔分布的西藏齿突蟾种群外所有实验物种蝌蚪均符合负二项分布、NeymanⅡ型分布；在10℃, 高海拔两栖类蝌蚪均符合负二项分布、NeymanⅡ型分布；在5℃、0℃低温时，高海拔两栖类不同分组的西藏齿突蟾蝌蚪的负二项分布、NeymanⅡ型分布均呈现明显差异, 这可能与高海拔两栖类蝌蚪在低温条件下通过不断地改变其行为分布方式来避免自身被冻伤有关。野外观察表明：高海拔两栖类蝌蚪常选择与流动河水相连的静水水体这种微生境中生存, 蝌蚪应对环境温度极端变化会不断改变其行为分布方式来选择最佳生存温度以避免极端高、低温对自身身体的伤害, 这种对微生境的利用能力对高海拔两栖类蝌蚪耐受极端环境温度的变化极其重要。 两栖类蝌蚪的温度耐受性实验表明不同的驯化温度可以改变西藏齿突蟾蝌蚪、两栖类仙琴水蛙蝌蚪的最适温度、逃避温度，并具有显著影响。 随着驯化温度5℃、10℃逐渐升高, 其最适温度、逃避温度也在一定范围内升高，但驯化温度对低海拔的仙琴水蛙蝌蚪的最适温度、逃避温度的改变效应大于高海拔的西藏齿突蟾蝌蚪的改变效应, 仙琴水蛙蝌蚪对温度的耐受范围、最适温度和逃避温度的ARRS值都大于西藏齿突蟾蝌蚪, 这说明仙琴水蛙蝌蚪对环境温度变化的适应能力大于西藏齿突蟾蝌蚪。 高海拔地区不同分组的两栖类蝌蚪, 在0℃适应温度时, LDH5条带的酶相对含量最高，而在5℃、10℃、15℃适应温度时，LDH5条带的酶相对含量明显都降低, 这表明酵解作用是高海拔两栖类蝌蚪的一些组织在低温﹑缺氧环境中的重要供能方式。高海拔两栖类蝌蚪同一分组的LDH总酶活性总是表现为10℃适应温度的总酶活性最高，而对低海拔的两栖类蝌蚪则是0℃适应温度的总酶活性最高, 这说明高海拔两栖类蝌蚪的LDH同工酶A、B两亚基基因活性在10℃时最高, 而低海拔两栖类蝌蚪的LDH同工酶A、B两亚基基因活性在0℃时最高。同时发现在15℃适应温度组的高海拔两栖类蝌蚪的LDH电泳图谱都有第6条带,有可能由LDH - C亚基组成, 对高海拔两栖类蝌蚪的LDH - C亚基只在15℃适应温度下才表达的机理还有待进一步的研究。 高海拔两栖类西藏齿突蟾蝌蚪通过行为分布方式的改变来选择最佳的生存温度, 这种温度选择过程与野外特定的微生境的存在密切相关, 现在由于人类对河道的不合理利用正在导致高海拔两栖类蝌蚪赖以生存的这种微生境逐渐消失, 这种微生境的消失将加速高海拔的两栖类种群数量衰退的进程。高海拔两栖类物种蝌蚪在低温（0℃）上表现出的同工酶多谱带说明，其A、B两亚基都有所表达，及其参与代谢的方式也是正常的，而低海拔两栖类物种蝌蚪只有A亚基表达的LDH5存在，因此其主要参与酵解过程，这种通过动物自身生理代谢方式的改变来适应极端环境温度条件的变化是高海拔两栖类蝌蚪能适应低温环境的重要策略。但高海拔物种的适应温度变化范围显著小于低海拔物种，对环境温度的变化适应能力有限，特别是对高温区域，因此全球气候变化可能对高海拔物种影响更为显著。 The partly cold-adaptation stratagem of the high altitude amphibian tadpole were researched in the laboratory by analyzing the high altitude amphibian tadpole of Scutiger boulengeri mainly on endpoints related to the dynamic variation of the micro-spatial behavior distribution patterns, the experiment of the temperature tolerance, and the enzyme content and activity of the lactic acid dehydrogenase(LDH) isozyme in special temperature condition. The behavior distribution of the Scutiger boulengeri tadpole is continuous and variable, but it can be figured out by multple testing ways. At 15℃, all of the experiment amphibian tadpoles behavior distribution fit both for the negative binomial distribution and NeymanⅡtype distribution except for the low altitude Scutiger boulengeri tadpoles. At 10℃, all of the high altitude amphibian tadpoles behavior distribution fit both for the negative binomial distribution and NeymanⅡtype distribution. At lower temperature, 5℃ and 0℃, the high altitude amphibian tadpoles of the Scutiger boulengeri at different groups behavior distribution fit for or don’t fit for behavior distribution respectively. It is denoted that the high altitude amphibian tadpoles probably avoid frostbiting by varying the behavior distribution patterns at low temperature condition. The high altitude amphibian tadpoles often actively select the special microhabitat which has the connected still water body and the flowing water body in the wild. It is important that tadpoles can endure the extreme temperature variety in this kind of microhabitat, because tadpoles can be better survival through select temperature condition through migrating in these kinds of microhabitats by varying their own behavior distribution patterns. Different acclimation temperature causes the significant change of preferred temperature(PT)、 avoiding temperature(AT) both in high altitude amphibian Scutiger boulengeri tadpoles and in low altitude amphibian Rana daunchina tadpoles in the temperature endurance experiment. With the acclimation temperature growing from 5℃ to 10℃. the PT and the AT of them would be uprise to some extent, but the effect of acclimation temperature on the PT and the AT of the tadpoles of Rana daunchina is more significant than the ones on the tadpoles of Scutiger boulengeri, at the same, the effects on the temperature endurance range, the ARRs of the tadpoles of Rana daunchina would be stronger than the ones on the tadpoles of Scutiger boulengeri. It is implied that the adaptation ability of tadpoles of Rana daunchina to the surroundings temperature alternation preferred to tadpoles of Scutiger boulengeri. At 0℃ acclimation temperature, the LDH5 enzyme comparative content of the high altitude amphibian tadpoles at different groups was highest, but it becomes lower at 5℃、10℃、15℃ acclimation temperature. It indicated that the alcoholysis role was the important ways of applying energy for special tissue of the high altitude amphibian tadpoles in low-temperature and low-oxygen condition. The total enzyme activity of the LDH of the high altitude amphibian tadpoles in the same group always keeps the highest at 10℃ acclimation temperature, but the low altitude amphibian tadpoles’ was maximum at 0℃. It was denoted that the gene activity of LDH -A and LDH – B submit was highest at 10℃ acclimation temperature for the high altitude amphibian tadpoles, but the low altitude amphibian tadpoles’ was maximum at 0℃. Meanwhile, the LDH electrophoretogram of the high altitude amphibian tadpoles always composed of 6 stripes at 15℃ acclimation temperature，the extra stripe probably was composed by LDH-C submit。It is unknown why LDH-C expresses only under high temperature。. The high altitude amphibian tadpoles can select the most optimal temperature by changing their behavior distribution patterns ceaselessly, but this course of selecting the most suitable temperature correlated with the special microhabitat in the wild closely. Nowadays, this kind of microhabitat which the high altitude amphibian tadpoles rely on are lossing gradually for human being exploit the riverway unreasonably. The disappearing of the microhabitat would accelerate the decline of the high altitude amphibian population. Compare to one band of LDH5, which only composed by the LDH-A submit, presents in the low altitude amphibian at 0℃, the five bands which composed by the LDH-A and LDH-B are checked out, this means the species which occurred in the highland is more adaptable to the low temperature. It is an important stratagem for the high altitude amphibian tadpoles adapt to the limited low temperature depends on the animal energy metabolism change.However, this kind of adaption is restricted, the adaption range to the temperature is much norrow in the high altitude amphibian than in the low one, especially for the high temperature side. The global climate change will be more serious for the high altitude species.

The comparative field body temperature among Liolaemus lizards: Testing the static and the labile hypotheses

Two competing hypotheses have been suggested to explain thermal sensitivity of lizards to environmental conditions. These are the static and the labile hypotheses. The static hypothesis posits that thermal physiology is evolutionary conservative and consequently relatively insensitive to directional selection. Contrarily, the labile hypothesis states that thermal physiology does respond readily to directional selection in some lizard taxa. In this paper, we tested both hypotheses among species of Liolaemus lizards. The genus Liolaemus is diverse with about 200 species, being broadly distributed from central Peru to Tierra del Fuego at the southern end of South America. Data of field body temperature (T(b)) from Liolaemus species were collected from the literature. Based on the distributional range of the species we also collected data of mean annual ambient temperatures. We observed that both the traditional analysis and the phylogenetic approach indicate that in the genus Liolaemus T(b) of species varies in a manner that is consistent with ecological gradient of ambient temperature. The data suggest that the thermal physiology of Liolaemus lizards is evolutionarily flexible, and that this plasticity has been partially responsible for the colonization of a wide array of thermal environments. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

WEAR AND SLIDING-FRICTION CHARACTERISTICS OF STAINLESS STEEL SS316LN WITHOUT A COATING AND WITH A CrN COATING AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES AND IN A VACUUM

Stainless steel of type AISI 316LN - one of the structural materials of fast neutron reactors - must have a long service life under conditions that subject it to different types of wear (galling, adhesion, fretting, and abrasion). Cobalt-based hard facings are generally avoided due to induced radioactivity. Nickel-based hard facings are strongly preferred instead. One alternative to both types of coatings is a hard-alloy coating of CrN. This article examines wear and friction characteristics during the sliding of uncoated steel SS316LN and the same steel with a CrN coating. In addition, a specially designed pin-on-disk tribometer is used to perform tests in a vacuum at temperatures of up to 1000 degrees C in order to study the effect of oxygen on the wear of these materials. The morphology of the wear surface and the structure of the subsurface were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The formation of an adhesion layer and the self-welding of mating parts are seen to take place in the microstructure at temperatures above 500 degrees C. It is also found that steel SS316LN undergoes shear strain during sliding wear. The friction coefficient depends on the oxygen content, load, and temperature, while the wear rate depends on the strain-hardening of the surface of the material being tested.

The correlation between preferred orientation and performance of ITO thin films

The tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) thin films were prepared by reactive thermal evaporation on the glass substrates. The effects of substrate temperatures (T-s) on the grain preferred orientation, the electrical and optical properties of ITO films were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicated that the preferred orientation of film changes from (222) to (400) as T, > 200 degrees C. It can be explained by that the low-index crystallographic planes are easier to be formed when the adatoms have high surface mobility. The Hall measurements indicated that both the concentration and mobility of carrier increase with increasing T,,,. The grain orientation of film does not influence the transmissivity and the carrier concentration, but enhances the carrier mobility. The transmissivity of ITO films is over 90% in the visible wavelength region (except that of the film deposited at 125 degrees C). A minimum resistivity of 5 X 10-4 Omega cm is achieved for the (400) preferred orientation film. Thus, the highest figure of merit of 3.5 x 10(-2) square/Omega is obtained for the film with (400) preferred orientation. The correlation between the preferred orientation and electrical and optical properties are discussed.

Chicken hatchlings prefer ambient temperatures lower than their thermoneutral zone

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Behaviour and design of cold-formed steel compression members at elevated temperatures

Cold-formed steel members have been widely used in residential, industrial and commercial buildings as primary load bearing structural elements and non-load bearing structural elements (partitions) due to their advantages such as higher strength to weight ratio over the other structural materials such as hot-rolled steel, timber and concrete. Cold-formed steel members are often made from thin steel sheets and hence they are more susceptible to various buckling modes. Generally short columns are susceptible to local or distortional buckling while long columns to flexural or flexural-torsional buckling. Fire safety design of building structures is an essential requirement as fire events can cause loss of property and lives. Therefore it is essential to understand the fire performance of light gauge cold-formed steel structures under fire conditions. The buckling behaviour of cold-formed steel compression members under fire conditions is not well investigated yet and hence there is a lack of knowledge on the fire performance of cold-formed steel compression members. Current cold-formed steel design standards do not provide adequate design guidelines for the fire design of cold-formed steel compression members. Therefore a research project based on extensive experimental and numerical studies was undertaken at the Queensland University of Technology to investigate the buckling behaviour of light gauge cold-formed steel compression members under simulated fire conditions. As the first phase of this research, a detailed review was undertaken on the mechanical properties of light gauge cold-formed steels at elevated temperatures and the most reliable predictive models for mechanical properties and stress-strain models based on detailed experimental investigations were identified. Their accuracy was verified experimentally by carrying out a series of tensile coupon tests at ambient and elevated temperatures. As the second phase of this research, local buckling behaviour was investigated based on the experimental and numerical investigations at ambient and elevated temperatures. First a series of 91 local buckling tests was carried out at ambient and elevated temperatures on lipped and unlipped channels made of G250-0.95, G550-0.95, G250-1.95 and G450-1.90 cold-formed steels. Suitable finite element models were then developed to simulate the experimental conditions. These models were converted to ideal finite element models to undertake detailed parametric study. Finally all the ultimate load capacity results for local buckling were compared with the available design methods based on AS/NZS 4600, BS 5950 Part 5, Eurocode 3 Part 1.2 and the direct strength method (DSM), and suitable recommendations were made for the fire design of cold-formed steel compression members subject to local buckling. As the third phase of this research, flexural-torsional buckling behaviour was investigated experimentally and numerically. Two series of 39 flexural-torsional buckling tests were undertaken at ambient and elevated temperatures. The first series consisted 2800 mm long columns of G550-0.95, G250-1.95 and G450-1.90 cold-formed steel lipped channel columns while the second series contained 1800 mm long lipped channel columns of the same steel thickness and strength grades. All the experimental tests were simulated using a suitable finite element model, and the same model was used in a detailed parametric study following validation. Based on the comparison of results from the experimental and parametric studies with the available design methods, suitable design recommendations were made. This thesis presents a detailed description of the experimental and numerical studies undertaken on the mechanical properties and the local and flexural-torsional bucking behaviour of cold-formed steel compression member at ambient and elevated temperatures. It also describes the currently available ambient temperature design methods and their accuracy when used for fire design with appropriately reduced mechanical properties at elevated temperatures. Available fire design methods are also included and their accuracy in predicting the ultimate load capacity at elevated temperatures was investigated. This research has shown that the current ambient temperature design methods are capable of predicting the local and flexural-torsional buckling capacities of cold-formed steel compression members at elevated temperatures with the use of reduced mechanical properties. However, the elevated temperature design method in Eurocode 3 Part 1.2 is overly conservative and hence unsuitable, particularly in the case of flexural-torsional buckling at elevated temperatures.