Composite polymer electrolyte reinforced by graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets for room-temperature all-solid-state lithium batteries

By virtue of the flexibility and safety, polyethylene oxide(PEO) based electrolytes are regarded as an appealing candidate for all-solid-state lithium batteries. However, their application is limited by the poor ionic conductivity at room temperature, narrow electrochemical stability window and uncontrolled growth of lithium dendrite. To alleviate these problems, we introduce the ultrathin graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets(GCN) as advanced nanofillers into PEO based electrolytes(GCN-CPE). Benefiting from the high surface area and abundant surface N-active sites of GCN, the GCN-CPE displays decreased crystallinity and enhanced ionic conductivity. Meanwhile, Fourier transform infrared and chronoamperometry studies indicate that GCN can facilitate Li+migration in the composite electrolyte. Additionally, the GCN-CPE displays an extended electrochemical window compared with PEO based electrolytes. As a result, Li symmetric battery assembled with GCN-CPE shows a stable Li plating/stripping cycling performance, and the all-solid-state Li/LiNi_(0.6)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.2)O_(2)(NCM622) batteries using GCN-CPE exhibit satisfactory cyclability and rate capability in a voltage range of 3-4.2 V at 30 ℃.

Polymer efficiency and sulfate concentration for hybrid EOR application to an acidic carbonate reservoir

Polymers play an important role in hybrid enhanced oil recovery (EOR), which involves both a polymer and low-salinity water. Because the polymer commonly used for low-salinity polymer flooding (LSPF) is strongly sensitive to brine pH, its efficiency can deteriorate in carbonate reservoirs containing highly acidic formation water. In this study, polymer efficiency in an acidic carbonate reservoir was investigated experimentally for different salinity levels and SO42− concentrations. Results indicated that lowering salinity improved polymer stability, resulting in less polymer adsorption, greater wettability alteration, and ultimately, higher oil recovery. However, low salinity may not be desirable for LSPF if the injected fluid does not contain a sufficient number of sulfate (SO42−) ions. Analysis of polymer efficiency showed that more oil can be produced with the same polymer concentration by adjusting the SO42− content. Therefore, when river water, which is relatively easily available in onshore fields, is designed to be injected into an acidic carbonate reservoir, the LSPF method proposed in this study can be a reliable and environmentally friendly method with addition of a sufficient number of SO42− ions to river water.

Assembly of N-and P-functionalized carbon nanostructures derived from precursor-defined ternary copolymers for high-capacity lithiumion batteries

Synthesis of new carbon nanostructures with tunable properties is vital for precisely regulating electrochemical performance in the wide applications.Herein,we report a novel approach for the oxidative polymerization of N-and P-bearing copolymers from the self-assembly of three different monomers(aniline,pyrrole,and phytic acid),and further prepare the respective carbon nanostructures with relatively consistent N dopant(6.2%–8.0%,atom)and varying P concentrations(0.4%–2.8%,atom)via controllable pyrolysis.The impacts of phytic acid addition on the compositional,structural,and morphological evolution of the copolymers and the resulting nanocarbons are well studied through a spectrum of characterizations including N2 sorption,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,gel permeation chromatograph,scanning/transmission electron microscopy,and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.Gradual fragmentation of the nanosphere structures is evidenced with increasing addition of phytic acid,leading to different nanostructures from hollow nanospheres to 3D aggregates.Nanocarbons decorated with N and P dopants from pyrolysis are further utilized as anode materials in lithium-ion batteries,demonstrating enhanced electrochemical performance,i.e.,a reversible capacity of 380 mA
h
g^(-1)at 2 A
g^(-1)for NPC-0.5 during 200 cycles.The superior performance originates from the balanced porosity,and appropriate concentrations of P and pyrrolic N,thus pointing the direction for designing high-performance anode materials.

Schiff-base polymer derived FeCo-N-doped porous carbon flowers as bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst for long-life rechargeable zinc-air batteries

Rational design and exploration of low-cost and robust bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts are vitally important for developing high-performance zinc-air batteries(ZABs).Herein,we reported a facile yet cost-efficient approach to construct a bifunctional oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)/oxygen evolution reaction(OER)electrocatalyst composed of N-doped porous carbon nanosheet flowers decorated with Fe Co nanoparticles(Fe Co/N-CF).Rational design of this catalyst is achieved by designing Schiff-base polymer with unique molecular structure via hydrogen bonding of cyanuramide and terephthalaldehyde polycondensate in the presence of metal cations.It exhibits excellent activity and stability for electrocatalysis of ORR/OER,enabling ZAB with a high peak power density of 172 m W cm^(-2)and a large specific capacity of 811 m A h g^(-1)Znat large current.The rechargeable ZAB demonstrates excellent durability for 1000 h with slight voltage decay,far outperforming a couple of precious Pt/Ir-based catalysts.Density functional theory(DFT)calculations reveal that high activity of bimetallic Fe Co stems from enhanced O_(2)and OH-adsorption and accelerated O_(2)dissociation by OAO bond activation.

High-sensitivity phase imaging eddy current magneto-optical system for carbon fiber reinforced polymers detection

This paper proposed a high-sensitivity phase imaging eddy current magneto-optical (PI-ECMO) system for carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) defect detection. In contrast to other eddy current-based detection systems, the proposed system employs a fixed position excitation coil while enabling the detection point to move within the detection region. This configuration effectively mitigates the interference caused by the lift-off effect, which is commonly observed in systems with moving excitation coils. Correspondingly, the relationship between the defect characteristics (orientation and position) and the surface vertical magnetic field distribution (amplitude and phase) is studied in detail by theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. Experiments conducted on woven CFRP plates demonstrate that the designed PI-ECMO system is capable of effectively detecting both surface and internal cracks, as well as impact defects. The excitation current is significantly reduced compared with traditional eddy current magneto-optical (ECMO) systems.

Durability Testing of Composite Aerospace Materials Based on a New Polymer Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Resin

In this study,the durability of a new polymer carbonfiber-reinforced epoxy resin used to produce composite material in the aerospacefield is investigated through analysis of the corrosion phenomena occurring at the microscopic scale,and the related infrared spectra and thermal properties.It is found that light and heat can con-tribute to the aging process.In particular,the longitudinal tensile strength displays a non-monotonic trend,i.e.,itfirst increases and then decreases over time.By contrast,the longitudinal compressive and inter-laminar shear strengths do not show significant changes.It is also shown that the inter-laminar shear strength of carbonfiber/epoxy resin composites with inter-laminar hybrid structure is better than that of pure carbonfiber materials.The related resistance to corrosion can be improved by more than 41%.

Electron Injection Enhancement by Diamond-Like Carbon Film in Polymer Electroluminescence Devices

A diamond-like carbon （DLC） film is deposited as an electron injection layer between the polymer light-emitting layer（MEH-PPV） and aluminum （Al） cathode electrode in polymer electroluminescence devices （PLEDs） using a radio frequency plasma deposition system. The source material of the DLC is n-butylamine. The devices consist of indium tin oxide （ITO）/MEH-PPV/DLC/Al. Electron injection properties are investigated through I-V characteristics,and the mechanism of electron injection enhancement due to a thin DLC layer has been studied. It is found that： （1） a DLC layer thinner than 1.0nm leads to a higher turn-on voltage and decreased electroluminescent （EL） efficiency; （2） a 5.0nm DLC layer significantly enhances the electron injection and results in the lowest turn-on voltage and the highest EL efficiency; （3） DLC layer that exceeds 5.0nm results in poor device performance;and（4） EL emission can hardly be detected when the layer exceeds 10.0nm. The properties of ITO/MEH-PPV/DLC/Al and ITO/MEH-PPV/LiF/Al are investigated comparatively.

High-Performance Na-Ion Storage of S-Doped Porous Carbon Derived from Conjugated Microporous Polymers

Na-ion batteries(NIBs)have attracted considerable attention in recent years owing to the high abundance and low cost of Na.It is well known that S doping can improve the electrochemical performance of carbon materials for NIBs.However,the current methods for S doping in carbons normally involve toxic precursors or rigorous conditions.In this work,we report a creative and facile strategy for preparing S-doped porous carbons(SCs)via the pyrolysis of conjugated microporous polymers(CMPs).Briefly,thiophene-based CMPs served as the precursors and doping sources simultaneously.Simple direct carbonization of CMPs produced S-doped carbon materials with highly porous structures.When used as an anode for NIBs,the SCs exhibited a high reversible capacity of 440 mAh g?1 at 50 mA g?1 after 100 cycles,superior rate capability,and excellent cycling stability(297 mAh g?1 after 1000 cycles at 500 mA g?1),outperforming most S-doped carbon materials reported thus far.The excellent performance of the SCs is attributed to the expanded lattice distance after S doping.Furthermore,we employed ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate the electrochemical reaction mechanism of the SCs during sodiation-desodiation,which can highlight the role of doped S for Na-ion storage.

Facile synthesis of microporous carbonaceous materials derived from a covalent triazine polymer for CO2 capture

Highly porous nitrogen-doped carbon materials were synthesized by the carbonization of a low-cost porous covalent triazine polymer, PCTP-3, which had been synthesized by the AlClcatalyzed FriedelCrafts reaction of readily available monomers. The nature of the bond and structure of the resulting materials were confirmed using various spectroscopic methods, and the effects of KOH activation on the textural properties of the porous carbon materials were also examined. The KOH-activated porous carbon（aPCTP-3c） materials possessed a high surface area of 2271 mgand large micro/total pore volumes of 0.87/0.95 cmg, respectively, with narrower micropore size distributions than the porous carbon prepared without activation（PCTP-3c）. The aPCTP-3c exhibited the best COuptakes of 284.5 and 162.3 mg gand CHuptakes of 39.6 and 25.9 mg gat 273 and 298 K/1 bar, respectively, which are comparable to the performance of some benchmark carbon materials under the same conditions. The prepared materials exhibited high CO/Nselectivity and could be regenerated easily.

PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYMER-BASED SPHERICAL ACTIVATED CARBONS

A series of spherical activated carbons(SACs)with different pore structures were prepared from chloromethylated polydivinylbenzene by ZnCl_2 activation.The effects of activation temperature and retention time on the yield and textural properties of the resulting SACs were studied.All the SACs are generated with high yield of above 65% and exhibit relatively high mesopore fraction(me%)of 35.7%-43.6% compared with conventional activated carbons.The sample zlc28 prepared at 800℃for 2 h has the largest BET surf...

Multifunctional characteristics of 3D printed polymer nanocomposites under monotonic and cyclic compression

This study presents the multifunctional characteristics of multi-walled carbon nanotube(MWCNT)/polypropylene random copolymer(PPR) composites enabled via fused filament fabrication(FFF) under monotonic and quasi-static cyclic compression. Utilizing in-house MWCNT-engineered PPR filament feedstocks, both bulk and cellular composites were realized. The morphological features of nanocomposites were examined via scanning electron microscopy, which reveals that MWCNTs are uniformly dispersed. The uniformly dispersed MWCNTs forms an electrically conductive network within the PPR matrix, and the resulting nanocomposite shows good electrical conductivity(~10^(-1)S/cm), improved mechanical performance(modulus increases by 125% and compressive strength increases by 25% for 8 wt% MWCNT loading) and pronounced piezoresistive response(gauge factor of 27.9-8.5 for bulk samples)under compression. The influence of strain rate on the piezoresistive response of bulk samples(4 wt% of MWCNT) under compression was also measured. Under repeated cyclic compression(2% constant strain amplitude), the nanocomposite exhibited stable piezoresistive performance up to 100 cycles. The piezoresistive response under repeated cyclic loading with increasing strain amplitude of was also assessed.The gauge factor of BCC and FCC cellular composites(4 wt% of MWCNT) with a relative density of 30%was observed to be 46.4 and 30.2 respectively, under compression. The higher sensitivity of the BCC plate-lattice could be attributed to its higher degree of stretching-dominated deformation behavior than the FCC plate-lattice, which exhibits bending-dominated behavior. The 3D printed cellular PPR/MWCNT composites structures were found to show excellent piezoresistive self-sensing characteristics and open new avenues for in situ structural health monitoring in various applications.

Atomic insights into synergistic effect of pillared graphene by carbon nanotube on the mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to explore the underlying synergistic mechanism of pillared graphene or non-covalent connected graphene and carbon nanotubes(CNTs) on the mechanical properties of polyethylene(PE) nanocomposites. By constructing the pillared graphene model and CNTs/graphene model, the effect of the structure, arrangement and dispersion of hybrid fillers on the tensile mechanical properties of PE nanocomposites was studied. The results show that the pillared graphene/PE nanocomposites exhibit higher Young’s modulus, tensile strength and elongation at break than non-covalent connected CNTs/graphene/PE nanocomposites. The pull-out simulations show that pillared graphene by CNTs has both large interfacial load and long displacement due to the mixed modes of shear separation and normal separation. Additionally, pillared graphene can not only inhibit agglomeration but also form a compact effective thickness(stiff layer), consistent with the adsorption behavior and improved interfacial energy between pillared graphene and PE matrix.

Nanocomposite Polymer Hydrogels Reinforced by Carbon Dots and Hectorite Clay

Herein, two nanoparticles with different dimensions, spherical carbon dots (C-dots) and sheetlike hectorite clay, were used as physical crosslinkers to fabricate C-dots-clay-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)nanocompositehydrogels (coded as C-dots-clay-PNIPAm hydrogels). The mechanical properties, fluorescence features and thermal-responsive properties of the C-dots-clay-PNIPAm hydrogels were evaluated. The experimental results indicate that synergistic effects of C-dots and hectorite clay nanoparticles are able to significantly enhance mechanical properties of the hydrogels. The hydrogels can be stretched up to 1730%with strength as high as 250 kPa when the C-dots concentration is 0.1wt%and the clay concentration is 6wt%. The hydrogels exhibit complete self-healing through autonomic reconstruction of crosslinked network a damaged interface. The hydrogels show favorable thermal-responsive properties with the volume phase transition around 34℃. In addition, the hydrogels are endowed with fluorescence features that are associated with C-dots in the hydrogels. It can be expected that the as-fabricated C-dots-clay-PNIPAm hydrogels are promising for applications in sensors, biomedical carriers and tissue engineering.

Study of galvanic corrosion and mechanical joint properties of AZ31B and carbon-fiber–reinforced polymer joined by friction self-piercing riveting

A new testing methodology was developed to quantitively study galvanic corrosion of AZ31B and thermoset carbon-fiber–reinforced polymer spot-joined by a friction self-piercing riveting process.Pre-defined areas of AZ31B in the joint were exposed in 0.1 M NaCl solution over time.Massive galvanic corrosion of AZ31B was observed as exposure time increased.The measured volume loss was converted into corrosion current that was at least 48 times greater than the corrosion current of AZ31B without galvanic coupling.Ninety percent of the mechanical joint integrity was retained for corroded F-SPR joints to 200 h and then decreased because of the massive volume loss of AZ31B。

Cobalt phthalocyanine-based conjugated polymer as efficient and exclusive electrocatalyst for CO_(2) reduction to ethanol

Electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide to high value-added chemicals is a promising method for solving the energy crisis and global warming.Electrochemical active metal-containing conjugated polymers have been widely studied for heterogeneous carbon dioxide reduction.In the present contribution,we designed and synthesized a stable cobalt phthalocyanine-based conjugated polymer,named CoPPc-TFPPy-CP,and also explored its electro-catalytic application in carbon dioxide reduction to liquid products in an aqueous solution.In the catalyst,cobalt phthalocyanine acts as building blocks connected with 1,3,6,8-tetrakis(4-formyl phenyl)pyrenes via imine-linkages,leading to mesoporous formation polymers with the pore size centered at 4.1nm.And the central co-balt atoms shifted to a higher oxidation state after condensation.With these chemical and structural natures,the catalyst displayed a remarkable electrocatalytic CO_(2) reduction performance with an ethanol Faradaic efficiency of 43.25%at-1.0V vs RHE.While at the same time,the electrochemical reduction process catalyzed by cobalt phthalocyanine produced only carbon monoxide and hydrogen.To the best of our knowledge,CoPPc-TFPPy-CP is the first example among organic polymers and metal-organic frameworks that produces ethanol from CO_(2) with a remarkable selectivity.

A comparative study of polymer nanocomposites containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoplatelets

Featuring exceptional mechanical and functional performance, MWCNTs and graphene(nano)platelets(GNPs or Gn Ps;each platelet below 10 nm in thickness) have been increasingly used for the development of polymer nanocomposites. Since MWCNTs are now cost-effective at US$30 per kg for industrial applications, this work starts by briefly reviewing the disentanglement and surface modification of MWCNTs as well as the properties of the resulting polymer nanocomposites. GNPs can be made through the thermal treatment of graphite intercalation compounds followed by ultrasonication;GNPs would have lower cost yet higher electrical conductivity over 1,400 S cmthan MWCNTs. Through proper surface modification and compounding techniques, both types of fillers can reinforce or toughen polymers and simultaneously add anti-static performance. A high ratio of MWCNTs to GNPs would increase the synergy for polymers. Green, solvent-free systhesis methods are desired for polymer nanocomposites. Perspectives on the limitations, current challenges and future prospects are provided.

Study on durability of Pt supported on graphitized carbon under simulated start-up/shut-down conditions for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

The primary issue for the commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cell（PEMFC） is the carbon corrosion of support under start-up/shut-down conditions. In this study, we employ the nanostructured graphitized carbon induced by heat-treatment. The degree of graphitization starts to increase between 900 and 1300 ℃ as evidenced by the change of specific surface area, interlayer spacing, and ID/IG value. Pt nanoparticles are deposited on fresh carbon black（Pt/CB） and carbon heat-treated at 1700 ℃（Pt/HCB17） with similar particle size and distribution. Electrochemical characterization demonstrates that the Pt/HCB17 shows higher activity than the Pt/CB due to the inefficient microporous structure of amorphous carbon for the oxygen reduction reaction. An accelerating potential cycle between 1.0 and 1.5 V for the carbon corrosion is applied to examine durability at a single cell under the practical start-up/shutdown conditions. The Pt/HCB17 catalyst shows remarkable durability after 3000 potential cycles. The Pt/HCB17 catalyst exhibits a peak power density gain of 3%, while the Pt/CB catalyst shows 65% loss of the initial peak power density. As well, electrochemical surface area and mass activity of Pt/HCB17 catalyst are even more stable than those of the Pt/CB catalyst. Consequently, the high degree of graphitization is essential for the durability of fuel cells in practical start-up/shut-down conditions due to enhancing the strong interaction of Pt and π-bonds in graphitized carbon.

Wear and transfer characteristics of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites under water lubrication

The tribological characteristics of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites under distilled-water-lubricated-sliding and dry-sliding against stainless steel were comparatively investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to examine composite microstructures and modes of failure. The typical chemical states of elements of the transfer film on the stainless steel were examined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Wear testing and SEM analysis show that all the composites hold the lowered friction coefficient and show much better wear resistance under water lubricated sliding against stainless steel than those under dry sliding. The wear of composites is characterized by plastic deformation, scuffing, micro cracking, and spalling under both dry-sliding and water lubricated conditions. Plastic deformation, scuffing, micro cracking, and spalling, however, are significantly abated under water-lubricated condition. XPS analysis conforms that none of the materials produces transfer films on the stainless steel counterface with the type familiar from dry sliding, and the transfer of composites onto the counterpart ring surface is significantly hindered while the oxidation of the stainless steel is speeded under water lubrication. The composites hinder transfer onto the steel surface and the boundary lubricating action of water accounts for the much smaller wear rate under water lubrication compared with that under dry sliding. The easier transfer of the composite onto the counterpart steel surface accounts for the larger wear rate of the polymer composite under dry sliding.

Mechanical joint performances of friction self-piercing riveted carbon fiber reinforced polymer and AZ31B Mg alloy

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer(CFRP) and AZ31B Mg alloy were joined by the friction self-piercing riveting(F-SPR) with different steel rivet shank sizes. With the increase of rivet shank size, lap shear fracture load and mechanical interlock distance increased. Ultrafine grains were formed at the joint in AZ31B as a result of dynamic recrystallization, which contributed to the higher hardness. Fatigue life of the CFRP-AZ31B joint was studied at various peak loads of 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 kN and compared with the resistance spot welded AZ31B-AZ31B from the open literature. The fatigue performance was better at higher peak load(>2 kN) and comparable to that of resistance spot welding of AZ31B to AZ31B at lower peak loads(<1 kN). From fractography, the crack initiation for lower peak load(<1 kN) case was observed at the fretting positions on the top and bottom surfaces of AZ31B sheet. When peak load was increased, fretting between the rivet and the top of AZ31B became more dominant to initiate a crack during fatigue testing.

Regulatable Orthotropic 3D Hybrid Continuous Carbon Networks for Efficient Bi-Directional Thermal Conduction

Vertically oriented carbon structures constructed from low-dimen-sional carbon materials are ideal frameworks for high-performance thermal inter-face materials(TIMs).However,improving the interfacial heat-transfer efficiency of vertically oriented carbon structures is a challenging task.Herein,an orthotropic three-dimensional(3D)hybrid carbon network(VSCG)is fabricated by depositing vertically aligned carbon nanotubes(VACNTs)on the surface of a horizontally oriented graphene film(HOGF).The interfacial interaction between the VACNTs and HOGF is then optimized through an annealing strategy.After regulating the orientation structure of the VACNTs and filling the VSCG with polydimethylsi-loxane(PDMS),VSCG/PDMS composites with excellent 3D thermal conductive properties are obtained.The highest in-plane and through-plane thermal conduc-tivities of the composites are 113.61 and 24.37 W m^(-1)K^(-1),respectively.The high contact area of HOGF and good compressibility of VACNTs imbue the VSCG/PDMS composite with low thermal resistance.In addition,the interfacial heat-transfer efficiency of VSCG/PDMS composite in the TIM performance was improved by 71.3%compared to that of a state-of-the-art thermal pad.This new structural design can potentially realize high-performance TIMs that meet the need for high thermal conductivity and low contact thermal resistance in interfacial heat-transfer processes.