Probing the electric double layer structure at nitrogen-doped graphite electrodes by constant-potential molecular dynamics simulations

Electric double layer(EDL)is a critical topic in electrochemistry and largely determines the working performance of lithium batteries.However,atomic insights into the EDL structures on heteroatom-modified graphite anodes and EDL evolution with electrode potential are very lacking.Herein,a constant-potential molecular dynamics(CPMD)method is proposed to probe the EDL structure under working conditions,taking N-doped graphite electrodes and carbonate electrolytes as an example.An interface model was developed,incorporating the electrode potential and atom electronegativities.As a result,an insightful atomic scenario for the EDL structure under varied electrode potentials has been established,which unveils the important role of doping sites in regulating both the EDL structures and the following electrochemical reactions at the atomic level.Specifically,the negatively charged N atoms repel the anions and adsorb Li~+at high and low potentials,respectively.Such preferential adsorption suggests that Ndoped graphite can promote Li~+desolvation and regulate the location of Li~+deposition.This CPMD method not only unveils the mysterious function of N-doping from the viewpoint of EDL at the atomic level but also applies to probe the interfacial structure on other complicated electrodes.

High‑Entropy Electrode Materials:Synthesis,Properties and Outlook

High-entropy materials represent a new category of high-performance materials,first proposed in 2004 and extensively investigated by researchers over the past two decades.The definition of high-entropy materials has continuously evolved.In the last ten years,the discovery of an increasing number of high-entropy materials has led to significant advancements in their utilization in energy storage,electrocatalysis,and related domains,accompanied by a rise in techniques for fabricating high-entropy electrode materials.Recently,the research emphasis has shifted from solely improving the performance of high-entropy materials toward exploring their reaction mechanisms and adopting cleaner preparation approaches.However,the current definition of high-entropy materials remains relatively vague,and the preparation method of high-entropy materials is based on the preparation method of single metal/low-or medium-entropy materials.It should be noted that not all methods applicable to single metal/low-or medium-entropy materials can be directly applied to high-entropy materials.In this review,the definition and development of high-entropy materials are briefly reviewed.Subsequently,the classification of high-entropy electrode materials is presented,followed by a discussion of their applications in energy storage and catalysis from the perspective of synthesis methods.Finally,an evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of various synthesis methods in the production process of different high-entropy materials is provided,along with a proposal for potential future development directions for high-entropy materials.

Mitochondria–cGAS–STING axis is a potential therapeutic target for senescence-dependent inflammaging-associated neurodegeneration

The word “senescence” comes from the Latin senescens, meaning “to begin to age”, and is characterized by a long-lasting but reversible block in proliferation, resulting from stress-induced cell cycle arrest of previously replication-competent cells.

Advances in Graphene‑Based Electrode for Triboelectric Nanogenerator

With the continuous development of wearable electronics,wireless sensor networks and other micro-electronic devices,there is an increasingly urgent need for miniature,flexible and efficient nanopower generation technology.Triboelectric nanogenerator(TENG)technology can convert small mechanical energy into electricity,which is expected to address this problem.As the core component of TENG,the choice of electrode materials significantly affects its performance.Traditional metal electrode materials often suffer from problems such as durability,which limits the further application of TENG.Graphene,as a novel electrode material,shows excellent prospects for application in TENG owing to its unique structure and excellent electrical properties.This review systematically summarizes the recent research progress and application prospects of TENGs based on graphene electrodes.Various precision processing methods of graphene electrodes are introduced,and the applications of graphene electrode-based TENGs in various scenarios as well as the enhancement of graphene electrodes for TENG performance are discussed.In addition,the future development of graphene electrode-based TENGs is also prospectively discussed,aiming to promote the continuous advancement of graphene electrode-based TENGs.

High quality Sb-doped SnO2 electrodes with high oxygen evolution potential prepared by in situ hydrothermal synthesis method

High quality Sb-doped SnO2 electrode, with high oxygen evolution potential of 3.0 V, was successfully synthesized on the Ti substrates by in situ hydrothermal synthesis method.

Two Types of Potential Oscillation During the Reduction of Dichromate on Gold Electrode in H2SO4 Solution

Two different types of potential oscillations have been identified for the first time during dichromate reduction on a gold electrode in a solution of dilute sulfuric acid. One occurs before hydrogen evolution due to the formation and dissolution of passivating films of low-valence chromium oxides, and the other generates, accompanying periodic hydrogen evolution, from the coupling of electrochemical reactions with diffusive and convective mass transport. More interestingly, these two types of oscillations correspond to two crossing loops in the cyclic voltammogram （CV）. Such a relation of oscillations with crossed CVs will provide a new way to find electrochemical oscillatory systems systematically and rapidly.

Study on Earth Surface Potential and DC Current Distribution around DC Grounding Electrode

DC magnetic biasing problem,caused by the DC grounding electrode, threatened the safe operation of AC power grid. In this paper, the characteristics of the soil stratification near DC grounding electrode was researched. The AC-DC interconnected large-scale system model under the monopole operation mode was established. The earth surface potential and DC current distribution in various stations under the different surface thickness was calculated. Some useful conclusions are drawn from the analyzed results.

High‑Performance Flexible Microneedle Array as a Low‑Impedance Surface Biopotential Dry Electrode for Wearable Electrophysiological Recording and Polysomnography

Microneedle array(MNA)electrodes are an effective solution to achieve high-quality surface biopotential recording without the coordination of conductive gel and are thus very suitable for long-term wearable applications.Existing schemes are limited by flexibility,biosafety,and manufacturing costs,which create large barriers for wider applications.Here,we present a novel flexible MNA electrode that can simultaneously achieve flexibility of the substrate to fit a curved body surface,robustness of microneedles to penetrate the skin without fracture,and a simplified process to allow mass production.The compatibility with wearable wireless systems and the short preparation time of the electrodes significantly improves the comfort and convenience of electrophysiological recording.The normalized electrode–skin contact impedance reaches 0.98 kΩcm^(2)at 1 kHz and 1.50 kΩcm^(2)at 10 Hz,a record low value compared to previous reports and approximately 1/250 of the standard electrodes.The morphology,biosafety,and electrical/mechanical properties are fully characterized,and wearable recordings with a high signal-to-noise ratio and low motion artifacts are realized.The first reported clinical study of microneedle electrodes for surface electrophysiological monitoring was conducted in tens of healthy and sleep-disordered subjects with 44 nights of recording(over 8 h per night),providing substantial evidence that the electrodes can be leveraged to substitute for clinical standard electrodes.

The Measurement of Membrane Potential and NO3 Activity in Root Cells Using Ion-Selective Microelectrodes

Remobilisation of nitrate in plants, especially in vacuole of plant, is mostly related to the qua- lity of agricultural products and the high nitrogen use efficiency in plants. Ion-selective microelectrodes offer a non-destructive and non-interruptive method to measure NO 3 gradients and electric potential differences across both the plasma membrane and tonoplast. Thus, a double-barrelled microelectrode backfilled with a membrane sensor for NO 3 embedded in poly vinyl chloride (PVC) can record the NO 3 activity in cytoplasm and vacuole of a cell. This paper presented how to make this kind of microelectrode and how to do the intracellular measurements on intact plants. Our result showed that nitrate activity was about 2.7 mmol L 1 in cytoplasm while 70 mmol L 1 in vacuole, which implicated that vacuole was a pool of nitrate in plants.

Parameter-independent error correction for potential measurements by reference electrode in lithium-ion batteries

The safety monitoring of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) is of great significance for realizing all-climate and full-lifespan battery management. In-situ measurement of anode potential with implanted reference electrodes(REs) has proven to be effective to monitor and avoid the occurrence of severe side reactions like Li plating to ensure the safe and fast charging. However, the intrinsic measurement errors caused by local blocking effects, which also can be referred to as potential artefacts, are seldom taken into consideration in existing studies, yet they highly dominate the correctness of conclusions inferred from REs. In this study, aiming at exploring the physical origin of the measurement errors and ensure reliable potential monitoring, electrochemical and post-mortem tests are conducted using commercial pouch cells with implanted REs. Corresponding electrochemical model which describes the blocking effects, is established to validate the abnormal absence of lithium plating that predicted by measured anode potentials under various charging rates. Theoretical derivation is further presented to explain the error sources, which can be attributed to increased local liquid potential of the RE position. Most importantly, with the guidance of error analysis, a novel parameter-independent error correction method for RE measurements is proposed for the first time, which is proven to be adequate to estimate the real anode potentials and deduce the critical C-rate of Li plating with extra safety margin. After error correction, the resulting critical C-rates are all within the range of 0.55 ± 0.03 C, which is close to the C-rate of 0.6–0.7 C obtained from experiments. In addition, this error correction method can be performed conveniently with only some simple RE measurements of polarization voltages, totally independent of battery electrochemical and geometric parameters. This study provides highly practical error correction method for RE measurements in real LIBs, substantially facilitating the fast diagnosis and safety evaluation of Li plating during charging of LIBs.

Electrochemical behavior and underpotential deposition of Sm on reactive electrodes(Al,Ni,Cu and Zn)in a LiCl-KCl melt

Sm extraction from a LiCl-KCl melt was carried out by forming alloys on various electrodes,including Al,Ni,Cu,and liquid Zn,and the electrochemical behaviors of the resultant metal products were investigated using different electrochemical techniques.While Sm metal deposition via the conventional two-step reaction process was not noted on the inert electrode,underpotential deposition was observed on the reactive electrodes because of the latter's depolarization effect.The depolarization effects of the reactive electrodes on Sm showed the order Zn>Al>Ni>Cu.Sm-M(M=Al,Ni,Cu,Zn)alloys were deposited by galvanostatic and potentiostatic electrolysis.The products were fully characterized by X-ray diffractometry(XRD)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)-energy dispersive spectrometry(EDS),and the stability of the obtained M-rich compounds was determined.Finally,the relationship between the electrode potential and type of Sm-M intermetallic compounds formed was assessed on the basis of the observed electrochemical properties and electrodeposits.

Hybrid architecture design enhances the areal capacity and cycling life of low-overpotential nanoarray oxygen electrode for lithium–oxygen batteries

Transition metal oxide(TMO)nanoarrays are promising architecture designs for self-supporting oxygen electrodes to achieve high catalytic activities in lithium-oxygen(Li-O2)batteries.However,the poor conductive nature of TMOs and the confined growth of nanostructures on the limited surfaces of electrode substrates result in the low areal capacities of TMO nanoarray electrodes,which seriously deteriorates the intrinsically high energy densities of Li-O2 batteries.Herein,we propose a hybrid nanoarray architecture design that integrates the high electronic conductivity of carbon nanoflakes(CNFs)and the high catalytic activity of Co3 O4 nanosheets on carbon cloth(CC).Due to the synergistic effect of two differently featured components,the hybrid nanoarrays(Co3 O4-CNF@CC)achieve a high reversible capacity of3.14 mA h cm-2 that cannot be achieved by only single components.Further,CNFs grown on CC induce the three-dimensionally distributed growth of ultrafine Co3 O4 nanosheets to enable the efficient utilization of catalysts.Thus,with the high catalytic efficiency,hybrid Co3 O4-CNF@CC also achieves a more prolonged cycling life than pristine TMO nanoarrays.The present work provides a new strategy for improving the performance of nanoarray oxygen electrodes via the hybrid architecture design that integrates the intrinsic properties of each component and induces the three-dimensional distribution of catalysts.

The optimal distance between two electrode tips during recording of compound nerve action potentials in the rat median nerve

The distance between the two electrode tips can greatly influence the parameters used for record- ing compound nerve action potentials. To investigate the optimal parameters for these recordings in the rat median nerve, we dissociated the nerve using different methods and compound nerve action potentials were orthodromically or antidromically recorded with different electrode spac- ings. Compound nerve action potentials could be consistently recorded using a method in which the middle part of the median nerve was intact, with both ends dissociated from the surrounding fascia and a ground wire inserted into the muscle close to the intact part. When the distance be- tween two stimulating electrode tips was increased, the threshold and supramaximal stimulating intensity of compound nerve action potentials were gradually decreased, but the amplitude was not changed significantly. When the distance between two recording electrode tips was increased, the amplitude was gradually increased, but the threshold and supramaximal stimulating intensity exhibited no significant change. Different distances between recording and stimulating sites did not produce significant effects on the aforementioned parameters. A distance of 5 mm between recording and stimulating electrodes and a distance of 10 mm between recording and stimulating sites were found to be optimal for compound nerve action potential recording in the rat median nerve. In addition, the orthodromic compound action potential, with a biphasic waveform that was more stable and displayed less interference （however also required a higher threshold and higher supramaximal stimulus）, was found to be superior to the antidromic compound action potential.

Potential Oscillations of a Stainless Steel Electrode during Galvanostatic Polarization in a Mixed Solution of Sulfuric and Chromic Acids

Potential oscillations of a stainless steel electrode galvanostatically anodized have been observed in amixture of chromic and sulfuric acids. The potential regularly oscillated between 1.6 V vs. SCE (lower) and 2.1V(upper) with a certain frequency. The potential values are affected neither by the composition of chromic and sulfu-ric acids nor by the magnitude of applied current density although the potential frequency is very sensitive to theseparameters. This phenomenon is interpreted in terms of the repeated formation and disappearance of the saturatedlayer of dichromate ions on the electrode surface. Such scheme is consistent with the in situ FTIR spectroscopicresult that the concentration of Cr2O ions on the electrode surface increased with time during the polarization atthe lower potential but the change in concenetion of Cr2O ions was negligible at the higher potential.

THE VERIFICATION OF THE CURRENT TRANSIENT EQUATION AT TUBULAR ELECTRODES IN A FLOWING FLUID UNDER POTENTIAL STEP

The equation derived for the response of the current transients in the flowing fluid is verified experimentally.

Visual evoked potential by implanted scalp electrode in rats

·AIM:To establish a new method to record visual evoked potential of rats and this method was applied to retinal cone degeneration (RCD) and congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) rats to see whether it is feasible.·METHODS:After anesthesia,the rats scalp surface was exposed and two stainless screws were implanted at 4mm in front of and 8mm behind Bregma.The front one was reference electrode and the latter one was recording electrode.The ground electrode was joined to the tail.And we recorded VEP of scotopic adaptation and photopic adaptation (The stimulus intensity of light :0.011,0.035,0.11,0.35,1.1 and 3.5cd·s/m2.They were all overlapped for 100 times.There were 2-5minutes intervals between different intensities.The frequency of stimulation was 1Hz and time course was 300 milliseconds).A week later,we recorded the VEP again in the same conditions.·RESULTS:The rats who were implanted with electrodes could live longer.When they were recorded,there was no disturbance and the waveforms were very clear and steady.There was no difference between the waveforms recorded by conventional method and those by implanted electrodes while the amplitude of new method was larger than conventional.We could get the same conclusion in RCD and CSNB rats.·CONCLUSION:Since the electrodes can be kept on the scalp for a longer time,we can not only observe dynamic changes of VEP but also observe the long-duration patho-logical changes in the rats.Because the positions of recording and reference electrodes were fixed,the system error can be reduced and the repeatability of experiments increased.·

Elucidation of Abnormal Potential Responses of Cation-Selective Electrodes with Solid-State Membranes to Aqueous Solutions of CuCl2 and CdI2

An empirical solution to abnormal potential responses, showing peaks of emf, of commercial Cu2+- and Cd2+-selective electrodes with solid-state membranes was proposed for aqueous solutions of CuCl2 and CdI2. The two-step processes of Mn+ + Yn? (s: solid phase) MY(s) and MY(s) + 2X? X2MY2?(s) (n = 1, 2) at a test solution/electrode-interface were considered as a model. Here, Mn+, Yn?, and X? refer to a divalent or univalent cation, functional groups of electrode materials, and a halide ion (X? = Cl?, Br?, I?), respectively. By applying electrochemical potentials to these processes at n = 2, we derived an equation. Regression analyses based on the equation reproduced well the plots of emf versus log 2(*[M]t) for the Cd(II) and Cu(II) systems: *[M]t denotes a total concentration of species relevant to M2+ in a bulk of the aqueous solution. Also, we obtained log Ks(CdBr2) = 4.28 ? 0.22, log Ks(CdI2) = 6.98 ? 0.05, log Ks(CuCl2) = 3.96 ? 0.09, and log Ks(CuBr2) = 11.4 at 25?C. The magnitude in ?log Ks reflected that in the logarithmic solubility product, log {*[M2+](*[X?])2}, for bulk water, where *[M2+] or *[X?] denotes a molar concentration of the bulk solu-tion of M2+ or X? at equilibrium, respectively. Moreover, a mixture of CuSO4 with NaCl at the molar ratio of 1:1 yielded a plot similar to that of CuCl2.

Sensing Characteristics of Mixed-Potential-Type YSZ-Based NO_x Sensor Using Au-Doped NiO Sensing Electrode

The nano-structured NiO powder obtained by sol-gel method was doped with 10 wt% gold in order to modify its morphology as well as its electrochemical catalytic activity.The NO_x sensing characteristics of mixed-potential-type YSZ-based planar sensors attached with each of the nano-NiO and the Au-doped nano-NiO materials as a sensing electrode SE) were examined at temperatures of 700℃～800℃.The Au-doped NiO-SE was found to give a large enhancement in the NO_2 sensitivity as well as the NO_2 selectivity at 800℃under wet condition,in comparison with the pure NiO-SE.The reason for the improvement in the NO_2 sensitivity was examined based on the data of polarization curves,impedance spectra and catalytic activity for the gas-phase NO_2 decomposition.

Potential-dependent insights into the origin of high ammonia yield rate on copper surface via nitrate reduction:A computational and experimental study

Focusing on revealing the origin of high ammonia yield rate on Cu via nitrate reduction(NO3RR),we herein applied constant potential method via grand-canonical density functional theory(GC-DFT)with implicit continuum solvation model to predict the reaction energetics of NO3RR on pure copper surface in alkaline media.The potential-dependent mechanism on the most prevailing Cu(111)and the minor(100)and(110)facets were established,in consideration of NO_(2)_(−),NO,NH_(3),NH_(2)OH,N_(2),and N_(2)O as the main products.The computational results show that the major Cu(111)is the ideal surface to produce ammonia with the highest onset potential at 0.06 V(until−0.37 V)and the highest optimal potential at−0.31 V for ammonia production without kinetic obstacles in activation energies at critical steps.For other minor facets,the secondary Cu(100)shows activity to ammonia from−0.03 to−0.54 V with the ideal potential at−0.50 V,which requires larger overpotential to overcome kinetic activation energy barriers.The least Cu(110)possesses the longest potential range for ammonia yield from−0.27 to−1.12 V due to the higher adsorption coverage of nitrate,but also with higher tendency to generate di-nitrogen species.Experimental evaluations on commercial Cu/C electrocatalyst validated the accuracy of our proposed mechanism.The most influential(111)surface with highest percentage in electrocatalyst determined the trend of ammonia production.In specific,the onset potential of ammonia production at 0.1 V and emergence of yield rate peak at−0.3 V in experiments precisely located in the predicted potentials on Cu(111).Four critical factors for the high ammonia yield and selectivity on Cu surface via NO3RR are summarized,including high NO3RR activity towards ammonia on the dominant Cu(111)facet,more possibilities to produce ammonia along different pathways on each facet,excellent ability for HER inhibition and suitable surface size to suppress di-nitrogen species formation at high nitrate coverage.Overall,our work provides comprehensive potential-dependent insights into the reaction details of NO3RR to ammonia,which can serve as references for the future development of NO3RR electrocatalysts,achieving higher activity and selectivity by maximizing these characteristics of copper-based materials.

Implantable probe with integrated reference electrode for in situ neural signal and calcium ion monitoring

Monitoring the electrophysiology activity of neurons and blood calcium signals can enable a better understanding of disease-related neural system circuits.However,currently,in situ calcium ion monitoring tools are scarce and exhibit low integration and limited sensitivity.In this letter,we propose an implantable probe with an integrated in situ Ag/AgCl reference electrode(ISA/ARE)that can monitor action potential(AP)and Ca^(2+) concentrations.