Exploiting Zirconium-Based Metallic Glass Thin Films for Anode-Free Lithium-Ion Batteries and Lithium Metal Batteries With Ultra-Long Cycling Life.

Coating Zr-based metallic glass, Zr53 Cu31 Ni11 Al5 (Zr-MG), on a Cu current collector (CC) and Li metal anode (LMA) significantly improves the cycle performance of both types of Li-ion batteries, namely, anode-free Li-ion batteries (AFLBs) and Li metal batteries (LMB). The inherent isotropy and homogeneity of the Zr-MG significantly improve the surface uniformity of the CC and LMA. A 12 nm-thick Zr-MG thin film coating on the CC reduces the overpotential in the AFLB, leading to a more uniform Li plating morphology. The Li film covers almost the entire surface of the Zr-CC, whereas it only covers ≈75% of the bare CC during charging. An LFP||Zr-CC full-cell exhibits a capacity retention of 63.6% after the 100th cycle, with an average CE of 99.55% at a 0.2 C rate. In the case of the LMB, a 12 nm-thick Zr-MG thin film-coated LMA (Zr-LMA) exhibits a stable capacity of up to 1500 cycles. An LFP||Zr-LMA full-cell exhibits capacity retention and CE after 1500 cycles of 66.6% and 99.97%, respectively, at a 1 C rate. Zirconium-MG thin films with atomic-level uniformity, outstanding corrosion resistance, lithiophilic characteristics, and high diffusivity result in superior AFLB and LMB performances.

Simply structured polarization-independent high efficiency multilayer dielectric gratings.

A polarization-independent multilayer dielectric diffraction grating with a low aspect ratio and high diffraction efficiency was designed and fabricated. The diffraction grating designed with a grating density of 1200 lines/mm had an aspect ratio of 0.59, mean polarization-independent diffraction efficiency in the Littrow angle of ±2.5∘, and 1030-1080 nm wavelength range of 97.2%. The designed grating was fabricated using ion assisted deposition and reactive ion etching techniques. The mean polarization-independent diffraction efficiency of the fabricated grating was 96.1%, and its standard deviation was 0.68%. The fabricated diffraction grating was irradiated with a 1064 nm cw laser, with a power density of 30kW/cm2, for 1 min to measure the temperature change before and after the laser application. It was verified that the temperature variation of the diffraction grating without heat treatment was 8.8°C, and the temperature variation after heat treatment at 400°C decreased to 2.3°C.

2D PdTe2 Thin-Film-Coated Current Collectors for Long-Cycling Anode-Free Rechargeable Batteries.

The practical implementation of anode-free batteries is limited by factors such as lithium dendrite growth and low cycling Coulombic efficiency (CE). In this study, the improvement in the electrochemical performance of anode-free rechargeable lithium batteries bearing a Cu current collector (CC) coated with PdTe2 thin films is reported. The optimized thickness and sputtering heating conditions of the PdTe2 layer are 15 nm and 473.15 K, respectively. Upon deposition on a CC, PdTe2 works as a seed layer that considerably improves the CE in half-cells, owing to its unique 2D structure that reduces the nucleation overpotential. A further contribution to the high performance is brought about by a CuTe interphase between the coating layer and Cu CC formed during heating. Such an interphase contributes to the high CE by improving the uniformity of the current density distribution on the CC that suppresses lithium dendrite growth. A low nucleation overpotential and uniform current density distribution, in turn, result in a smooth morphology of the plated Li. The full cell obtained with the PdTe2-coated CC exhibits a capacity retention of 70.7% after the 100th cycle, with an average CE of 99.65% at a 0.2C rate─an outstanding result in view of the rapid development of lithium-ion batteries.

Construction of cuprous oxide electrodes composed of 2D single-crystalline dendritic nanosheets.

An unusual anisotropic growth of Cu(2)O is stabilized via the electrochemical synthesis of Cu(2)O in the presence of Ag(+) ions, which results in the formation of Cu(2)O electrodes composed of 2D sheetlike crystals containing complex dendritic patterns. It is quite unusual for Cu(2)O to form a 2D morphology since it has a 3D isotropic cubic crystal structure where the a, b, and c axes are equivalent. Each Cu(2)O sheet is single-crystalline in nature and is grown parallel to the {110} plane, which is rarely observed in Cu(2)O crystal shapes. A various set of experiments are performed to understand the role of Ag(+) ions on the 2D growth of Cu(2)O. The results show that Ag(+) ions are deposited as silver islands on already growing Cu(2)O crystals and serve as nucleation sites for the new growth of Cu(2)O crystals. As a result, the growth direction of the newly forming Cu(2)O crystals is governed by the diffusion layer structure created by the pre-existing Cu(2)O crystals, which results in the formation of 2D dendritic patterns. The thin 2D crystal morphology can significantly increase the surface-to-volume ratio of Cu(2)O crystals, which is beneficial for enhancing various electrochemical and photoelectrochemical properties of the electrodes. The photoelectrochemical properties of the Cu(2)O electrodes composed of 2D dendritic crystals are investigated and compared to those of 3D dendritic crystals. This study provides a unique and effective route to maximize the {110} area per unit volume of Cu(2)O, which will be beneficial for any catalytic/sensing abilities that can be anisotropically enhanced by the {110} planes of Cu(2)O.

Investigation of glass forming ability of Al-based metallic glasses by measuring vaporization enthalpy.

The analysis of the enthalpy changes for vaporization (ΔHvap) of Al-based metallic glass (MG) can provide insight into the origin of the MG's glass forming ability (GFA). The ΔHvap of three Al-based MGs, Al84.5 ± x(Y10Ni5.5)15.5 ± x, Al85 ± x(Y8Ni5Co2)15 ± x, and Al86 ± x(Y4.5Ni6Co2La1.5)14 ± x, (hereafter referred to as AYNx, AYNCx, and AYNCLx, respectively), is analyzed by measuring their weight losses below their glass transition temperatures. The relationship between ΔHvap and aluminum concentration exhibit minimum values in the range of 83-85 at.% of Al, and the ΔHvap increases, becoming saturated at 320-350 kJ/mol, as the percentage of Al deviates from this range. The depth of the enthalpy well, referring to the bottom of the parabolic graph of ΔHvap against the Al concentration, is proportional to the viscosity of clusters showing liquid-like behavior. The amount of weight loss is proportional to the concentration of these clusters. The cluster viscosity and concentration influences the overall viscosity of the MGs, and thus determines the GFA.

Degradation Mechanism of Highly Ni-Rich Li[NixCoyMn1-x-y]O2 Cathodes with x > 0.9.

A series of Ni-rich Li[NixCo(1-x)/2Mn(1-x)/2]O2 (x = 0.9, 0.92, 0.94, 0.96, 0.98, and 1.0) (NCM) cathodes are prepared to study their capacity fading behaviors. The intrinsic trade-off between the capacity gain and compromised cycling stability is observed for layered cathodes with x ≥ 0.9. The initial specific capacities of LiNiO2 and Li[Ni0.9Co0.05Mn0.05]O2 are 245 mAh g-1 (91% of the theoretical capacity) and 230 mAh g-1, and their corresponding capacity retentions are 72.5% and 88.4%. However, the capacity retention characteristic deteriorates at an increasingly faster rate for x > 0.95, in contrast with the nearly linear increase of specific capacity. The fast capacity fading stems from the chemical attack of the cathode by the electrolyte infiltrated through the microcracks, resulting from the mechanical instability inflicted by the anisotropic internal strain caused by the H2 ⇆ H3 phase transition. Thus, the capacity fading of the NCM cathodes for x > 0.9 critically depends on the extent of the H2 → H3 phase transition. Retardation or protraction of the H2 ⇆ H3 phase transition by engineering the microstructure should improve the cycle life of these highly Ni-enriched NCM cathodes.

An origami-inspired, self-locking robotic arm that can be folded flat.

A foldable arm is one of the practical applications of folding. It can help mobile robots and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) overcome access issues by allowing them to reach into confined spaces. The origami-inspired design enables a foldable structure to be lightweight, compact, and scalable while maintaining its kinematic behavior. However, the lack of structural stiffness has been a major limitation in the practical use of origami-inspired designs. Resolving this obstacle without losing the inherent advantages of origami is a challenge. We propose a solution by implementing a simple stiffening mechanism that uses an origami principle of perpendicular folding. The simplicity of the stiffening mechanism enables an actuation system to drive shape and stiffness changes with only a single electric motor. Our results show that this design was effective for a foldable arm and allowed a UAV to perform a variety of tasks in a confined space.

The Mechanical Strength of Si Foams in the Mushy Zone during Solidification of Al-Si Alloys.

The mechanical strength of an Al-30% Si alloy in the mushy zone was estimated by using a novel centrifugation apparatus. In the apparatus, the alloy melt was partially solidified, forming a porous structure made of primary Si platelets (Si foam) while cooling. Subsequently, pressure generated by centrifugal force pushed the liquid phase out of the foam. The estimated mechanical strength of the Si foam in the temperature range 850-993 K was very low (62 kPa to 81 kPa). This is about two orders of magnitude lower than the mechanical strength at room temperature as measured by compressive tests. When the centrifugal stress was higher than the mechanical strength of the foam, the foam fractured, and the primary Si crystallites were extracted along with the Al-rich melt. Therefore, to maximize the centrifugal separation efficiency of the Al-30% Si alloy, the centrifugal stress should be in the range of 62-81 kPa.

Fe-Doping Effect on Thermoelectric Properties of p-Type Bi0.48Sb1.52Te3.

The substitutional doping approach has been shown to be an effective strategy to improve ZT of Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric raw materials. We herein report the Fe-doping effects on electronic and thermal transport properties of polycrystalline bulks of p-type Bi0.48Sb1.52Te3. After a small amount of Fe-doping on Bi/Sb-sites, the power factor could be enhanced due to the optimization of carrier concentration. Additionally, lattice thermal conductivity was reduced by the intensified point-defect phonon scattering originating from the mass difference between the host atoms (Bi/Sb) and dopants (Fe). An enhanced ZT of 1.09 at 300 K was obtained in 1.0 at% Fe-doped Bi0.48Sb1.52Te3 by these synergetic effects.

Molecular dynamics simulation of interlayer water embedded in phospholipid bilayer.

1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine lipid bilayer with a thin layer of water molecules inserted in the hydrophobic region was simulated at 300K to observe the pore structure formation during escape of the water molecules from the hydrophobic region. The transformation of the water slab into a cylindrical droplet in the hydrophobic region, which locally deformed the lipid monolayer, was prerequisite to the pore formation. If the thickness of the interlayer water was increased beyond a critical value, the local deformation was suppressed as such deformation would rupture the lipid bilayer. Hence, it was demonstrated that the pore structure formation or local permeability of the lipid membrane is closely related to the rigidity of the lipid membrane.

Capillary flow of amorphous metal for high performance electrode.

Metallic glass (MG) assists electrical contact of screen-printed silver electrodes and leads to comparable electrode performance to that of electroplated electrodes. For high electrode performance, MG needs to be infiltrated into nanometer-scale cavities between Ag particles and reacts with them. Here, we show that the MG in the supercooled state can fill the gap between Ag particles within a remarkably short time due to capillary effect. The flow behavior of the MG is revealed by computational fluid dynamics and density funtional theory simulation. Also, we suggest the formation mechanism of the Ag electrodes, and demonstrate the criteria of MG for higher electrode performance. Consequently, when Al85Ni5Y8Co2 MG is added in the Ag electrodes, cell efficiency is enhanced up to 20.30% which is the highest efficiency reported so far for screen-printed interdigitated back contact solar cells. These results show the possibility for the replacement of electroplating process to screen-printing process.

Development of CuInSe2 nanocrystal and nanoring inks for low-cost solar cells.

The creation of a suitable inorganic colloidal nanocrystal ink for use in a scalable coating process is a key step in the development of low-cost solar cells. Here, we present a facile solution synthesis of chalcopyrite CuInSe 2 nanocrystals and demonstrate that inks based on these nanocrystals can be used to create simple solar cells, with our first cells exhibiting an efficiency of 3.2% under AM1.5 illumination. We also report the first solution synthesis of uniform hexagonal shaped single crystals CuInSe 2 nanorings by altering the synthesis parameter.