Transport Properties and Local Ions Dynamics in LATP-Based Hybrid Solid Electrolytes.

Hybrid solid electrolytes (HSEs), namely mixtures of polymer and inorganic electrolytes, have supposedly improved properties with respect to inorganic and polymer electrolytes. In practice, HSEs often show ionic conductivity below expectations, as the high interface resistance limits the contribution of inorganic electrolyte particles to the charge transport process. In this study, the transport properties of a series of HSEs containing Li(1+ x ) Alx Ti(2- x ) (PO4 )3 (LATP) as Li+ -conducting filler are analyzed. The occurrence of Li+ exchange across the two phases is proved by isotope exchange experiment, coupled with 6 Li/7 Li nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and by 2D 6 Li exchange spectroscopy (EXSY), which gives a time constant for Li+ exchange of about 50 ms at 60 °C. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) distinguishes a short-range and a long-range conductivity, the latter decreasing with LATP concentration. LATP particles contribute to the overall conductivity only at high temperatures and at high LATP concentrations. Pulsed field gradient (PFG)-NMR suggests a selective decrease of the anions' diffusivity at high temperatures, translating into a marginal increase of the Li+ transference number. Although the transport properties are only marginally affected, addition of moderate amounts of LATP to polymer electrolytes enhances their mechanical properties, thus improving the plating/stripping performance and processability.

Amorphous Phase Induced Lithium Dendrite Suppression in Glass-Ceramic Garnet-Type Solid Electrolytes.

Lithium metal-based solid-state batteries (SSBs) have attracted much attention due to their potentially higher energy densities and improved safety compared with lithium-ion batteries. One of the most promising solid electrolytes, garnet-type Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO), has been investigated intensively in recent years. It enables the use of a lithium metal anode, but its application is still challenging because of lithium dendrites that grow at voids, cracks, and grain boundaries of sintered bodies during cycling of the battery cell. In this work, glass-ceramic Ta-doped LLZO produced in a unique melting process was investigated. Upon cooling, an amorphous phase is generated intrinsically, whose composition and fraction are adjusted during the process. Herein, it was set to about 4 wt % containing Li2O and a Li2O-SiO2 phase. During sintering, it was shown to segregate into the grain boundaries and decrease porosity via liquid phase sintering. Sintering temperature and sintering time were found to be reduced compared with the LLZO fabricated by a solid-state reaction while maintaining high density and ionic conductivity. The glass-ceramic sintered at 1130 °C for 0.5 h showed a room-temperature ionic conductivity of 0.64 mS cm-1. Most importantly, the evenly distributed amorphous phase along the grain boundaries effectively hinders lithium dendrite growth. Besides mechanically blocking pores and voids, it helps to prevent inhomogeneous distribution of current density. The critical current density (CCD) of the Li|LLZTO|Li symmetric cell was determined as 1.15 mA cm-2, and in situ lithium plating experiments in a scanning electron microscope revealed superior dendrite stability properties. Therefore, this work provides a promising strategy to prepare a dense and dendrite-suppressing solid electrolyte for future implementation in SSBs.

Degradation of the endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) carbamazepine, clofibric acid, and iopromide by corona discharge over water.

Common wastewater treatment plants often do not eliminate endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Aqueous solutions of three EDCs were treated with an enhanced corona discharge technology. The three EDCs were clofibric acid, a blood lipid regulator, carbamazepine, an antiepileptic drug, and iopromide, a contrast media. To simulate real conditions, EDC solutions containing landfill leachate were also used. In our setup, two barrier electrodes provided an atmospheric pressure corona discharge over a thin water film, in which the counter-electrode was submerged. Clofibric acid, carbamazepine, and iopromide were effectively removed from a single solution. After a treatment of 15min, there were no traces of iopromide estrogen activity either as a single substance or as degradation products when using an E-Screen Assay. Continuous treatment was compared with pulsed treatment using carbamazepine solutions mixed with pretreated landfill leachate. Best degradation results were achieved with a 500 W continuous duty cycle treatment. Counter-electrodes from materials such as boron doped diamond (BDD), titanium iridium oxide, and iron were investigated for their influences on the process effectivity. Significant improvements were achieved by using an enclosed reactor, BDD electrodes, and circulating only a fresh air or argon/air mixture as cooling gas through the barrier electrodes.

Silicon chelation in aqueous and nonaqueous media: the furanoidic diol approach.

Anhydroerythritol (AnEryt) shares some of its ligand properties with furanosides and furanoses. Its bonding to silicon centers of coordination number four, five, and six was studied by X-ray and NMR methods, and compared to silicon bonding of related compounds. Diphenyl(cycloalkylenedioxy)silanes show various degrees of oligomerization depending on the diol component involved. For example, Ph(2)Si(cis-ChxdH(-2)) (1) and Ph(2)Si[(R,R)-trans-ChxdH(-2))] (2; Chxd = cyclohexanediol) are dimeric, Ph(2)Si(AnErytH(-2)) (3) is monomeric, and Ph(2)Si(L-AnThreH(-2)) (4; AnThre = anhydrothreitol) is trimeric both in the solid state and in solution. Ph(2)Si(cis-CptdH(-2)) (5) (Cptd = cyclopentanediol) is monomeric in solution but dimerizes on crystallization. Si(AnErytH(-2))(2) (6) and Si(cis-CptdH(-2))(2) (7) are monomeric spiro compounds in solution but are pentacoordinate dimers in the crystalline state. Pentacoordinate silicate ions are found in A[Si(OH)(AnErytH(-2))(2)] (A = Na, 8 a; Rb, 8 b; Cs, 8 c). Related compounds are formed by substitution of the hydroxo by a phenyl ligand. K[SiPh(AnErytH(-2))(2)]1/2 MeOH (9) is a prototypical example as it shows the two most significant isomers in one crystal structure: the syn/anti and the anti/anti form (syn and anti define the oxolane ring orientation close to, or apart from, the monodentate ligand, respectively). syn/anti Isomerism generally rules the appearance of the NMR spectra of pentacoordinate silicates of furanos(id)e ligands. NMR spectroscopic data are presented for various pentacoordinate bis(diolato)silicates of adenosine, cytidine, methyl-beta-D-ribofuranoside, and ribose. In even more basic solutions, hexacoordinate silicates are enriched. Preliminary X-ray analyses are presented for Cs(2)[Si(CydH(-2))(3)] 21.5 H(2)O (10) and Cs(2)[Si(cis-InsH(-3))] cis-Ins8 H(2)O (11) (Cyd = cytidine, Ins = inositol).