Plasma-Assisted Surface Modification on the Electrode Interface for Flexible Fiber-Shaped Zn-Polyaniline Batteries.

A novel flexible fiber-shaped zinc-polyaniline battery (FZPB) is proposed to enhance the electrochemical performance, mass loading, and stability of polyaniline cathodes. To this end, electron-cyclotron-resonance oxygen plasma-modified carbon fibers are employed. During plasma treatment, on the carbon-fiber surface, O2+ plasma breaks the C-C, C-H, and C-N bonds to form C radicals, while the O2 molecules are broken down to reactive oxygen species (O+, O2+, O2+, and O22+). The C radicals and the reactive oxygen species are combined to homogeneously form oxygen functional groups, such as -OH, -COOH, and -C═O. The surface area and total pore volume of the treated carbon fibers increase as the plasma attacks. During electrodeposition, aniline interacts with the oxygen functional groups to form N-O and N-H bonds and π-π stacking, resulting in a homogeneous and high-loading polyaniline structure and improved adhesion between polyaniline and carbon fibers. In an FZPB, the cathode with plasma-treated carbon fibers and a polyaniline loading of 0.158 mg mgCF-1 (i.e., 2.36 mg cmCF-1) exhibits a capacity retention of 95.39% after 200 cycles at 100 mA g-1 and a discharge capacity of 83.96 mA h g-1 at such a high current density of 2000 mA g-1, which are ∼1.67 and 1.24 times those of the pristine carbon-fiber-based one, respectively. Furthermore, the FZPB exhibits high flexibility with a capacity retention of 86.4% after bending to a radius of 2.5 mm for 100 cycles as a wearable energy device.

Acculturation, self-construal, mental and physical health: an explorative study of East Asian students in Germany.

The present study explores acculturation and its associated aspects of two East Asian student groups with different levels of exposure to German culture (100 international students from East Asian countries [IS]; 61 second generation students of East Asian descent [SGS]). First, we investigated the relationships between acculturation, self-construal, depressive and somatic symptoms, and differences between the student groups in these variables. Second, the four acculturation types (integration, assimilation, separation and marginalization) were examined regarding their relationship to self-construal and health outcomes. The results showed that the acculturation dimensions (mainstream, heritage) were relevant to the level of depressive symptoms for IS which was not the case for SGS. Furthermore, IS reported more somatic symptoms whereas there was no difference between the two groups in the level of depressive symptoms. In the analysis of acculturation types, assimilated and integrated students were characterized by high independent self-construal, while separated and integrated students showed high interdependent self-construal. Assimilated students displayed the least depressive symptoms of all acculturation groups. This study highlights different characteristics of East Asian students in acculturation, self-construal and health outcomes, and discusses the complexity of the relationships between acculturation types and health.