Lithium intercalation/de-intercalation behavior of a composite Sn/C thin film fabricated by magnetron sputtering

A tin film of 320 nm in thickness on Cu foil and its composite film with graphite of-50 nm in thickness on it were fabricated by magnetron sputtering. The surface morphology, composition, surface distributions of alloy elements, and lithium intercalation/de-intercalation behaviors of the fabricated films were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, electron probe microanalyzer （EPMA）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry （ICP）, cyclic voltammetry （CV）, and galvanostatic charge/discharge （GC） measurements. It is found that the lithium intercalation/de-intercalation behavior of the Sn film can be significantly improved by its composite with graphite. With cycling, the discharge capacity of the Sn film without composite changes from 570 mAh/g of the 2nd cycle to 270 mAh/g of the 20th cycle, and its efficiency for the discharge and charge is between 90% and 95%. Nevertheless, the discharge capacity of the composite Sn/C film changes from 575 mAh/g of the 2nd cycle to 515 mAh/g of the 20th cycle, and its efficiency for the discharge and charge is between 95% and 100%. The performance improvement of tin by its composite with graphite is ascribed to the retardation of the bulk tin cracking from volume change during lithium intercalation and de-intercalation, which leads to the pulverization of tin.

Curie and Pauli Spins in Lithium Intercalated MCMB

The ESR signal of lithium intercalated MCMB can be well simulated by combination of a Lorentz curve and a Gauss curve. The ESR intensity of the Lorentz component is essentially independent of temperature while the Gauss component shows a linear change with the reciprocal of temperature, indicative of Pauli spin and Curie spin, respectively. The former is probably associated with the ordered (graphitized) structures while the latter with the disordered structures in the sample.

New Superionic Memory Devices Can Provide Clues to the Human Memory Structure and to Consciousness

Since the work of Penrose and Hameroff the possibility is discussed that the location of human memory and consciousness could be connected with tubulin microtubules. If one would use superionic nano-materials rolled up to microtubules with an electrolyte inside the formed channels mediating fast ionic exchange of protons respectively lithium ions, it seems to be possible to write into such materials whole image arrays (pictures) under the action of the complex electromagnetic spectrum that composes these images. The same material and architecture may be recommended for super-computers. Especially microtubules with a protofilament number of 13 are the most important to note. We connected such microtubules before with Fibonacci nets composed of 13 sub-cells that were helically rolled up to deliver suitable channels. Our recent Fibonacci analysis of Wadsley-Roth shear phases such as niobium tungsten oxide , exhibiting channels for ultra-fast lithium-ion diffusion, suggests to use these materials, besides super-battery main application, in form of nanorods or microtubules as effectively working superionic memory devices for computers that work ultra-fast with the complex effectiveness of human brains. Finally, we pose the question, whether dark matter, ever connected with ultrafast movement of ordinary matter, may be responsible for synchronization between interactions of human brains and consciousness.

The Discharge and Charge Behavior of the Pb-Birnessite in LiOH Aqueous Solution

The Pb-birnessite was prepared by ion exchange from K-birnessite, which was synthesized by calcination of KMnO4. Measure methods of SEM (scanning electron microscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), TGA (thermogravimetric analyse), AAS (atomic absorption spectrometry), slow-scanning cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic step discharge/charge are applied. Potentiostatic step method is used for the determination of a chemical diffusion coefficientD is Li+. XRD patterns indicate the Pb-birnessite has layered structure. Slow-scanning voltammograms show the occurrence of a single-phase redox reaction. The galvanostatic discharge/charge curves indicate the Pb-birnessite has better rechargeability at a high discharge/charge rate. Li+ can reversibly intercalate into and de-intercalate from the Pb-birnessite during discharge and charge. Pb between the layers stabilized the layered structure and prevented partially the conversion to spinel-like structures. The average value of the chemical diffusion coefficientD of Li+ intercalated into the Pb-birnessite is 8.24×10?11 cm2·s?1. Key words Birnessite - Pb2+-doped - single-phase redox reaction - Lithium intercalation CLC number O 646.54 Foundation item: Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (20077020)Biography: ZHU Xin-gong (1979-), male, Master, research direction: electrochemistry.