The feasibility for natural graphite to replace artificial graphite in organic electrolyte with different film-forming additives

The feasibility for natural graphite(NG)to replace artificial graphite(AG)in organic electrolytes with different additives are investigated.Although the strong film-forming additives contributes to form robust solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)film on graphite particle surface,great differences in gas evolution,lithium inventory loss and other side reactions are observed.Lithium bis(oxalato)borate(Li BOB)and fluoroethylene carbonate(FEC)are found more effective and the combination shows to be more promising.In the optimized electrolyte,natural graphite anode exhibits excellent long-term cycling capability.After 800 cycles at high temperature,the capacity retention is comparable to that using artificial graphite.The mechanisms for the capacity-fading of the full cells with AG and NG anode are investigated by ICP,SEM and polarization studies.The results shows that NG electrode consumes more active lithium due to the rough surface and larger volume expansion.The rapid capacity-fading in the initial 100 cycles is related to the instability of the SEI film aroused from large volume expansion.The systematic analysis is inspiriting for the development of high performance lithium ion batteries with reduced cost.

Challenges in the Development of Film-Forming Additives for Lithium Ion Battery: A Review

Electrolytes additives are ubiquitous and indispensable in all electrochemical devices. In this sense, the principle and the classification of film-forming additives for lithium ion secondary batteries are described. The film formation mechanism and research progress of the pyrazole derivatives, organic halogenide, esters and derivatives, boron compounds and inorganic compounds are introduced. Emphasis is focused on the principles and film-forming mechanisms of each additive. The development of film-forming additives is forecasted and prospected.

Effects of Additives on the Microstructure and Tribology Performance of Ta-12W Alloy Micro-Arc Oxidation Coating

Oxide ceramic coatings were fabricated on tantalum alloys by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) to improve their hardness and tribological properties. The MAO coatings were manufactured in a mixed silicatephosphate electrolyte containing NaF and/or EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid). The surface morphology,cross-sectional view, chemical composition, hardness, and wear performance of the coatings were analysed. As revealed by the scanning electron microscopy, silica-rich nodules appear on the MAO coating obtained in the silicate-phosphate electrolyte, but the formation of nodules is inhibited with NaF and/or EDTA in the electrolyte.Also, they reduce the roughness and improve the compactness of the coatings, which are composed of Ta_(2)O_(5),(Ta, O), and TaO. A thick and hard coating is obtained in the NaF-containing electrolyte, and the tribology performance is effectively improved. With additives, the nodule structure is detached from the coating surface and dissolved in the electrolyte. By using NaF as an electrolyte additive, the abrasion performance of the MAO coating is enhanced by decreasing the nodule structure, increasing the size of micropores, and improving the coating hardness.

Polarizable Additive with Intermediate Chelation Strength for Stable Aqueous Zinc‑Ion Batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are promising due to inherent safety,low cost,low toxicity,and high volumetric capacity.However,issues of dendrites and side reactions between zinc metal anode and the electrolyte need to be solved for extended storage and cycle life.Here,we proposed that an electrolyte additive with an intermediate chelation strength of zinc ion—strong enough to exclude water molecules from the zinc metal-electrolyte interface and not too strong to cause a significant energy barrier for zinc ion dissociation—can benefit the electrochemical stability by suppressing hydrogen evolution reaction,overpotential growth,and den-drite formation.Penta-sodium diethylene-triaminepentaacetic acid salt was selected for such a purpose.It has a suitable chelating ability in aqueous solutions to adjust solvation sheath and can be readily polarized under electrical loading conditions to further improve the passivation.Zn||Zn symmetric cells can be stably operated over 3500 h at 1 mA cm^(-2).Zn||NH4V4O10 full cells with the additive show great cycling stability with 84.6%capacity retention after 500 cycles at 1 A g^(-1).Since the additive not only reduces H2 evolution and corrosion but also modifies Zn2+diffusion and deposition,highlyreversible Zn electrodes can be achieved as verified by the experimental results.Our work offers a practical approach to the logical design of reliable electrolytes for high-performance aqueous batteries.

Additive manufactured osseointegrated screws with hierarchical design

Bone screws are devices used to fix implants or bones to bones.However,conventional screws are mechanically fixed with thread and often face long-term failure due to poor osseointegration.To improve osseointegration,screws are evolving from solid and smooth to porous and rough.Additive manufacturing(AM)offers a high degree of manufacturing freedom,enabling the preparation of predesigned screws that are porous and rough.This paper provides an overview of the problems currently faced by bone screws:long-term loosening and screw breakage.Next,advances in osseointegrated screws are summarized hierarchically(sub-micro,micro,and macro).At the sub-microscale level,we describe surface-modification techniques for enhancing osseointegration.At the micro level,we summarize the micro-design parameters that affect the mechanical and biological properties of porous osseointegrated screws,including porosity,pore size,and pore shape.In addition,we highlight three promising pore shapes:triply periodic minimal surface,auxetic structure with negative Poisson ratio,and the Voronoi structure.At the macro level,we outline the strategies of graded design,gradient design,and topology optimization design to improve the mechanical strength of porous osseointegrated screws.Simultaneously,this paper outlines advances in AM technology for enhancing the mechanical properties of porous osseointegrated screws.AM osseointegrated screws with hierarchical design are expected to provide excellent long-term fixation and the required mechanical strength.

Bionic lightweight design of limb leg units for hydraulic quadruped robots by additive manufacturing and topology optimization

Galloping cheetahs,climbing mountain goats,and load hauling horses all show desirable locomotion capability,which motivates the development of quadruped robots.Among various quadruped robots,hydraulically driven quadruped robots show great potential in unstructured environments due to their discrete landing positions and large payloads.As the most critical movement unit of a quadruped robot,the limb leg unit(LLU)directly affects movement speed and reliability,and requires a compact and lightweight design.Inspired by the dexterous skeleton–muscle systems of cheetahs and humans,this paper proposes a highly integrated bionic actuator system for a better dynamic performance of an LLU.We propose that a cylinder barrel with multiple element interfaces and internal smooth channels is realized using metal additive manufacturing,and hybrid lattice structures are introduced into the lightweight design of the piston rod.In addition,additive manufacturing and topology optimization are incorporated to reduce the redundant material of the structural parts of the LLU.The mechanical properties of the actuator system are verified by numerical simulation and experiments,and the power density of the actuators is far greater than that of cheetah muscle.The mass of the optimized LLU is reduced by 24.5%,and the optimized LLU shows better response time performance when given a step signal,and presents a good trajectory tracking ability with the increase in motion frequency.

Effect of FeSi additive in dual-chamber sample cup on thermal analysis characteristic values and vermiculating rate of compacted graphite iron

Thermal analysis plays a key role in the online inspection of molten iron quality.Different solidification process of molten iron can be reflected by thermal analysis curves,and silicon is one of important elements affecting the solidification of molten iron.In this study,FeSi75 was added in one chamber of the dual-chamber sample cup,and the influences of FeSi75 additive on the characteristic values of thermal analysis curves and vermiculating rate were investigated.The results show that with the increase of FeSi75,the start temperature of austenite formation TALfirstly decreases and then increases,but the start temperature of eutectic growth TSEF,the lowest eutectic temperature TEU,temperature at maximum eutectic reaction rate TEM,and highest eutectic temperature TERkeep always an increase.The temperature at final solidification point TEShas little change.The FeSi75 additive has different influences on the vermiculating rate of molten iron with different vermiculation,and the vermiculating rate increases for lower vermiculation molten iron while decreases for higher one.According to the thermal analysis curves obtained by a dual-chamber sample cup with 0.30wt.%FeSi75 additive in one chamber,the vermiculating rate of molten iron can be evaluated by comparing the characteristic values of these curves.The time differenceΔtERcorresponding to the highest eutectic temperature TERhas a closer relationship with the vermiculating rate,and a parabolic regression curve between the time differenceΔtERand vermiculating rateηhas been obtained within the range of 65%to 95%,which is suitable for the qualified melt.

Rationally designing electrolyte additives for highly improving cyclability of LiNi_(0.5)Mn_(1.5)O_(4)/Graphite cells

High voltage is necessary for high energy lithium-ion batteries but difficult to achieve because of the highly deteriorated cyclability of the batteries.A novel strategy is developed to extend cyclability of a high voltage lithium-ion battery,LiNi_(0.5)Mn_(1.5)O_(4)/Graphite(LNMO/Graphite)cell,which emphasizes a rational design of an electrolyte additive that can effectively construct protective interphases on anode and cathode and highly eliminate the effect of hydrogen fluoride(HF).5-Trifluoromethylpyridine-trime thyl lithium borate(LTFMP-TMB),is synthesized,featuring with multi-functionalities.Its anion TFMPTMB-tends to be enriched on cathode and can be preferentially oxidized yielding TMB and radical TFMP-.Both TMB and radical TFMP can combine HF and thus eliminate the detrimental effect of HF on cathode,while the TMB dragged on cathode thus takes a preferential oxidation and constructs a protective cathode interphase.On the other hand,LTFMP-TMB is preferentially reduced on anode and constructs a protective anode interphase.Consequently,a small amount of LTFMP-TMB(0.2%)in 1.0 M LiPF6in EC/DEC/EMC(3/2/5,wt%)results in a highly improved cyclability of LNMO/Graphite cell,with the capacity retention enhanced from 52%to 80%after 150 cycles at 0.5 C between 3.5 and 4.8 V.The as-developed strategy provides a model of designing electrolyte additives for improving cyclability of high voltage batteries.

Advancements in machine learning for material design and process optimization in the field of additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing technology is highly regarded due to its advantages,such as high precision and the ability to address complex geometric challenges.However,the development of additive manufacturing process is constrained by issues like unclear fundamental principles,complex experimental cycles,and high costs.Machine learning,as a novel artificial intelligence technology,has the potential to deeply engage in the development of additive manufacturing process,assisting engineers in learning and developing new techniques.This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the research and applications of machine learning in the field of additive manufacturing,particularly in model design and process development.Firstly,it introduces the background and significance of machine learning-assisted design in additive manufacturing process.It then further delves into the application of machine learning in additive manufacturing,focusing on model design and process guidance.Finally,it concludes by summarizing and forecasting the development trends of machine learning technology in the field of additive manufacturing.

ZnO Additive Boosts Charging Speed and Cycling Stability of Electrolytic Zn–Mn Batteries

Electrolytic aqueous zinc-manganese(Zn–Mn) batteries have the advantage of high discharge voltage and high capacity due to two-electron reactions. However, the pitfall of electrolytic Zn–Mn batteries is the sluggish deposition reaction kinetics of manganese oxide during the charge process and short cycle life. We show that, incorporating ZnO electrolyte additive can form a neutral and highly viscous gel-like electrolyte and render a new form of electrolytic Zn–Mn batteries with significantly improved charging capabilities. Specifically, the ZnO gel-like electrolyte activates the zinc sulfate hydroxide hydrate assisted Mn^(2+) deposition reaction and induces phase and structure change of the deposited manganese oxide(Zn_(2)Mn_(3)O_8·H_(2)O nanorods array), resulting in a significant enhancement of the charge capability and discharge efficiency. The charge capacity increases to 2.5 mAh cm^(-2) after 1 h constant-voltage charging at 2.0 V vs. Zn/Zn^(2+), and the capacity can retain for up to 2000 cycles with negligible attenuation. This research lays the foundation for the advancement of electrolytic Zn–Mn batteries with enhanced charging capability.

Thioacetamide Additive Homogenizing Zn Deposition Revealed by In Situ Digital Holography for Advanced Zn Ion Batteries

Zinc ion batteries are considered as potential energy storage devices due to their advantages of low-cost,high-safety,and high theoretical capacity.However,dendrite growth and chemical corrosion occurring on Zn anode limit their commercialization.These problems can be tackled through the optimization of the electrolyte.However,the screening of electrolyte additives using normal electrochemical methods is time-consuming and labor-intensive.Herein,a fast and simple method based on the digital holography is developed.It can realize the in situ monitoring of electrode/electrolyte interface and provide direct information concerning ion concentration evolution of the diffusion layer.It is effective and time-saving in estimating the homogeneity of the deposition layer and predicting the tendency of dendrite growth,thus able to value the applicability of electrolyte additives.The feasibility of this method is further validated by the forecast and evaluation of thioacetamide additive.Based on systematic characterization,it is proved that the introduction of thioacetamide can not only regulate the interficial ion flux to induce dendrite-free Zn deposition,but also construct adsorption molecule layers to inhibit side reactions of Zn anode.Being easy to operate,capable of in situ observation,and able to endure harsh conditions,digital holography method will be a promising approach for the interfacial investigation of other battery systems.

Identification of Antioxidant Additives in Food Products Sold in Dakar Markets

The use of food additives in industrial production has the advantage of improving sensory properties, technological quality and extending the shelf life of foods. Among the most widely used additives are antioxidants, which prevent oxidation, browning and rancidity reactions in foods. However, the strong presence of these additives on the market is not without risks for human health, and should be controlled to guarantee food safety. Analysis of the risks associated with consumption of foods containing these additives requires, among other things, information on the frequency of use of these additives in various consumer products. The aim of this study is therefore to identify the antioxidants present in industrial food products distributed in Dakar. The methodology adopted consists of a qualitative analysis based on the identification of additives from food labels. Investigations were carried out in 9 stores, 4 superettes and 2 supermarkets located in different districts of Dakar. The results revealed the presence of 12 antioxidant additives, dominated by citric acid (53%) and ascorbic acid (29%). These studies have also highlighted the simultaneous use of several antioxidants in the same food product. Moreover, for some artificial antioxidants identified antioxydant such as BHA and BHT, health risks are associated with their consumption. The results of this study open up prospects for the development of information databases on food additives.

Acetic acid additive in NaNO_(3)aqueous electrolyte for long-lifespan Mg-air batteries

Mg-air batteries have attracted tremendous attention as a potential next-generation power source for portable electronics and e-transportation due to their remarkable high theoretical volumetric energy density,environmental sustainability,and cost-effectiveness.However,the fast hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)in NaCl-based aqueous electrolytes impairs the performance of Mg-air batteries and leads to poor specific capacity,low energy density,and low utilization.Thus,the conventionally used NaCl solute was proposed to be replaced by NaNO_(3)and acetic acid additive as a corrosion inhibitor,therefore an electrolyte engineering for long-life time Mg-air batteries is reported.The resulting Mg-air batteries based on this optimized electrolyte demonstrate an improved discharge voltage reaching~1.8 V for initial 5 h at a current density of 0.5 mA/cm^(2) and significantly prolonged cells'operational lifetime to over 360 h,in contrast to only~17 h observed in NaCl electrolyte.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry were employed to analyse the composition of surface film and scanning electron microscopy combined with transmission electron microscopy to clarify the morphology changes of the surface layer as a function of acetic acid addition.The thorough studies of chemical composition and morphology of corrosion products have allowed us to elucidate the working mechanism of Mg anode in this optimized electrolyte for Mg-air batteries.

Consumers’ Perception and Knowledge of Food Additives in Senegal: A Pilot Study

Food safety has become a major concern for consumers, as well as a priority for regulatory authorities. Faced with the growing industrial and domestic use of food additives, many questions are being asked and concerns are being felt by consumers around the world. Consumer perception defines the acceptability or rejection of food products, and has an impact on consumption patterns and behavior. To assess the level of knowledge and perception of food additives, a pilot study was carried out on a sample of 200 people in Dakar and Saint-Louis. A questionnaire was used to assess the acceptance or rejection, use and impact of food additives by consumers in Senegal. The results revealed several aspects. On the whole, the people surveyed expressed great mistrust and even rejection of these substances added to food products. This consumer perception is shared throughout the world, as indicated in numerous surveys. It also emerges from this study that, although most consumers are aware of the existence of these additives and their uses in the home, they feel that the use of these substances in industrial production is too excessive. What’s more, consumers associate food additives with numerous pathologies such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke and even sexual impotence. For some of these indexed pathologies, scientific studies have reached the same conclusions, although controversy still persists. On the other hand, for some of the other adverse effects mentioned, no cause-and-effect relationship has been scientifically demonstrated. In these latter cases, it seems that negative communication, misinformation and misconceptions have a major influence on consumer perception of food additives.

Adaptive Bistable Stochastic Resonance Based Weak Signal Reception in Additive Laplacian Noise

Weak signal reception is a very important and challenging problem for communication systems especially in the presence of non-Gaussian noise,and in which case the performance of optimal linear correlated receiver degrades dramatically.Aiming at this,a novel uncorrelated reception scheme based on adaptive bistable stochastic resonance(ABSR)for a weak signal in additive Laplacian noise is investigated.By analyzing the key issue that the quantitative cooperative resonance matching relationship between the characteristics of the noisy signal and the nonlinear bistable system,an analytical expression of the bistable system parameters is derived.On this basis,by means of bistable system parameters self-adaptive adjustment,the counterintuitive stochastic resonance(SR)phenomenon can be easily generated at which the random noise is changed into a benefit to assist signal transmission.Finally,it is demonstrated that approximately 8dB bit error ratio(BER)performance improvement for the ABSR-based uncorrelated receiver when compared with the traditional uncorrelated receiver at low signal to noise ratio(SNR)conditions varying from-30dB to-5dB.

Research Progress of Additive Manufacturing Technology in Energetic Material Field at Home and Abroad

As a subversive manufacturing technology, additive manufacturing technology has many technical advantages such as high freedom of design and not limited by complex structure of parts. The application of additive manufacturing technology to the charge molding of energetic materials will subvert the traditional manufacturing concept of energetic materials, realize the advanced charge design concept, shorten the research and development time of weapons and equipment, and improve the comprehensive performance of weapons and equipment, which is of great significance for the rapid development of high-tech weapons and equipment. This paper analyzes the research progress of additive manufacturing technology in the field of energetic materials at home and abroad and puts forward some suggestions for future research of this technology. .

Effect of grain refinement induced by wire and arc additive manufacture (WAAM) on the corrosion behaviors of AZ31 magnesium alloy in NaCl solution

Additive manufacturing(AM)of Mg alloys has become a promising strategy for producing complex structures,but the corrosion performance of AM Mg components remains unexploited.In this study,wire and arc additive manufacturing(WAAM)was employed to produce single AZ31 layer.The results revealed that the WAAM AZ31 was characterized by significant grain refinement with non-textured crystallographic orientation,similar phase composition and stabilized corrosion performance comparing to the cast AZ31.These varied corrosion behaviors were principally ascribed to the size of grain,where cast AZ31 and WAAM AZ31 were featured by micro galvanic corrosion and intergranular corrosion,respectively.

Combustion performance of pulverized coal and corresponding kinetics study after adding the additives of Fe_(2)O_(3) and CaO

Combustion performance of pulverized coal(PC)in blast furnace(BF)process is regarded as a criteria parameter to assess the prop-er injection dosage of PC.In this paper,effects of two kinds of additives,Fe_(2)O_(3) and CaO,on PC combustion were studied using the thermo-gravimetric method.The results demonstrate that both the Fe_(2)O_(3) and CaO can promote combustion performance index of PC including igni-tion index(C_(i)),burnout index(D_(b)),as well as comprehensive combustibility index(S_(n)).The S_(n) increases from 1.37×10^(−6) to 2.16×10^(−6)%2·min^(−2)·℃^(−3) as the Fe_(2)O_(3) proportion increases from 0 to 5.0wt%.Additionally,the combustion kinetics of PC was clarified using the Coats-Redfern method.The results show that the activation energy(E)of PC combustion decreases after adding the above additives.For instance,the E decreases from 56.54 to 35.75 kJ/mol when the Fe_(2)O_(3) proportion increases from 0 to 5.0wt%,which supports the improved combustion per-formance.Moreover,it is uneconomic to utilize pure Fe_(2)O_(3) and CaO in production.Based on economy analysis,we selected the iron-bearing dust(IBD)which contains much Fe_(2)O_(3) and CaO component to investigate,and got the same effects.Therefore,the IBD is a potential option for catalytic PC combustion in BF process.

Additive manufacturing of magnesium matrix composites: Comprehensive review of recent progress and research perspectives

The magnesium matrix composites(MMCs) formed by introducing reinforcements to magnesium alloys overcome the limitations of the mechanical properties to a certain extent, presenting unique and excellent properties that any component does not have, such as high specific stiffness and specific strength, good dimensional stability, outstanding shock absorption performance, excellent electromagnetic shielding and hydrogen storage characteristics, etc. As an emerging manufacturing technology, additive manufacturing(AM) is based on the design of threedimensional(3D) data model to obtain 3D objects through layer-by-layer processing, which possesses the advantages of short manufacturing cycle, high material utilization rate, high degree of design freedom, excellent mechanical properties and the ability to fabricate complex structural components. Combining the high stiffness and high strength properties of MMCs and the technical advantages of AM forming complex structural parts with high performance, the prepared AM MMCs have huge potential advantages and broad application prospects in new high-tech industries such as automobile, aerospace, consumer electronics and biomedicine, etc. This paper reviews the research progress in the field of AM MMCs, mainly introduces the main AM technologies, including selective laser melting(SLM), electron beam selective melting(EBSM), laser engineered net shaping(LENS) and wire and arc additive manufacturing(WAAM). The formation mechanism and control methods of the typical defects including balling effect, porosity, poor fusion, loss of alloy elements and cracks produced during AM are discussed. The main challenges of AM MMCs are proposed from the aspects of composition design and the preparation of powder raw material. The relationship between the microstructure and mechanical properties, corrosion performance and biocompatibility of AM MMCs are elaborated in detail. The application potential of AM MMCs in various fields at present and in the future is introduced. Finally, the development direction and urgent problems to be solved in the AM MMCs are prospected.

Trace Amounts of Triple-Functional Additives Enable Reversible Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries from a Comprehensive Perspective

Although their cost-effectiveness and intrinsic safety,aqueous zinc-ion batteries suffer from notorious side reactions including hydrogen evolution reaction,Zn corrosion and passivation,and Zn dendrite formation on the anode.Despite numerous strategies to alleviate these side reactions have been demonstrated,they can only provide limited performance improvement from a single aspect.Herein,a triple-functional additive with trace amounts,ammonium hydroxide,was demonstrated to comprehensively protect zinc anodes.The results show that the shift of electrolyte pH from 4.1 to 5.2 lowers the HER potential and encourages the in situ formation of a uniform ZHS-based solid electrolyte interphase on Zn anodes.Moreover,cationic NH^(4+)can preferentially adsorb on the Zn anode surface to shield the“tip effect”and homogenize the electric field.Benefitting from this comprehensive protection,dendrite-free Zn deposition and highly reversible Zn plating/stripping behaviors were realized.Besides,improved electrochemical performances can also be achieved in Zn//MnO_(2)full cells by taking the advantages of this triple-functional additive.This work provides a new strategy for stabilizing Zn anodes from a comprehensive perspective.