Removing Fluoride-Terminations from Multilayered V2CT x MXene by Gas Hydrolyzation.

Two-dimensional MXenes have shown great promise for many different applications, but in order to fully utilize their potential, control of their termination groups is essential. Here we demonstrate hydrolyzation with a continuous gas flow as a method to remove F-terminations from multilayered V2CT x particles, in order to prepare nearly F-free and partly bare vanadium carbide MXene. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the substitution of F-terminations is thermodynamically feasible and presents partly nonterminated V2CO as the dominating hydrolyzation product. Hydrolyzation at elevated temperatures reduced the F content but only subtly changed the O content, as inferred from spectroscopic data. The ideal hydrolyzation temperature was found to be 300 °C, as a degradation of the V2CT x phase and a transition to vanadium oxycarbides and V2O3 were observed at higher temperature. When tested as electrodes in Li-ion batteries, the hydrolyzed MXene demonstrated a reduced polarization compared with the pristine MXene, but no change in intercalation voltage was observed. Annealing in dry Ar did not result in the same F reduction, and the importance of water vapor was concluded, demonstrating hydrolyzation as a new and efficient method to control the surface terminations of multilayered V2CT x post etching. These results also provide new insights on the thermal stability of V2CT x MXene in hydrated atmospheres.

Performance Study of MXene/Carbon Nanotube Composites for Current Collector- and Binder-Free Mg-S Batteries.

The realization of sustainable and cheap Mg-S batteries depends on significant improvements in cycling stability. Building on the immense research on cathode optimization from Li-S batteries, for the first time a beneficial role of MXenes for Mg-S batteries is reported. Through a facile, low-temperature vacuum-filtration technique, several novel current collector- and binder-free cathode films were developed, with either dipenthamethylene thiuram tetrasulfide (PMTT) or S8 nanoparticles as the source of redox-active sulfur. The importance of combining MXene with a high surface area co-host material, such as carbon nanotubes, was demonstrated. A positive effect of MXenes on the average voltage and reduced self-discharge was also discovered. Ascribed to the rich polar surface chemistry of Ti3 C2 Tx MXene, an almost doubling of the discharge capacity (530 vs. 290 mA h g-1 ) was achieved by using MXene as a polysulfide-confining interlayer, obtaining a capacity retention of 83 % after 25 cycles.

Time-Enhanced Performance of Oxide Thermoelectric Modules Based on a Hybrid p-n Junction.

The present challenge with all-oxide thermoelectric modules is their poor durability at high temperatures caused by the instability of the metal-oxide interfaces at the hot side. This work explains a new module concept based on a hybrid p-n junction, fabricated in one step by spark plasma co-sintering of Ca3Co4-x O9+δ (CCO, p-type) and CaMnO3-δ/CaMn2O4 (CMO, n-type). Different module (unicouple) designs were studied to obtain a thorough understanding of the role of the in situ formed hybrid p-n junction of Ca3CoMnO6 (CCMO, p-type) and Co-oxide rich phases (p-type) at the p-n junction (>700 °C) in the module performance. A time-enhanced performance of the modules attributed to this p-n junction formation was observed due to the unique electrical properties of the hybrid p-n junction being sufficiently conductive at high temperatures (>700 °C) and nonconductive at moderate and low temperatures. The alteration of module design resulted in a variation of the power density from 12.4 (3.1) to 28.9 mW/cm2 (7.2 mW) at ΔT ∼ 650 °C after 2 days of isothermal hold (900 °C hot side). This new concept provides a facile method for the fabrication of easily processable, cheap, and high-performance high-temperature modules.

Chemical stability of Ca3Co4-x O9+δ /CaMnO3-δ p-n junction for oxide-based thermoelectric generators.

An all-oxide thermoelectric generator for high-temperature operation depends on a low electrical resistance of the direct p-n junction. Ca3Co4-x O9+δ and CaMnO3-δ exhibit p-type and n-type electronic conductivity, respectively, and the interface between these compounds is the material system investigated here. The effect of heat treatment (at 900 °C for 10 h in air) on the phase and element distribution within this p-n junction was characterized using advanced transmission electron microscopy combined with X-ray diffraction. The heat treatment resulted in counter diffusion of Ca, Mn and Co cations across the junction, and subsequent formation of a Ca3Co1+y Mn1-y O6 interlayer, in addition to precipitation of Co-oxide, and accompanying diffusion and redistribution of Ca across the junction. The Co/Mn ratio in Ca3Co1+y Mn1-y O6 varies and is close to 1 (y = 0) at the Ca3Co1+y Mn1-y O6-CaMnO3-δ boundary. The existence of a wide homogeneity range of 0 ≤ y ≤ 1 for Ca3Co1+y Mn1-y O6 is corroborated with density functional theory (DFT) calculations showing a small negative mixing energy in the whole range.

Structure, electrical conductivity and oxygen transport properties of perovskite-type oxides CaMn1-x-yTixFeyO3-δ.

Calcium manganite-based perovskite-type oxides hold promise for application in chemical looping combustion processes and oxygen transport membranes. In this study, we have investigated the structure, electrical conductivity and oxygen transport properties of perovskite-type oxides CaMn1-x-yTixFeyO3-δ. Distinct from previous work, data of high-temperature X-ray diffraction (HT-XRD) in the temperature range 600-1000 °C (with intervals of 25 °C) demonstrates that CaMnO3-δ (CM) transforms from orthorhombic to a mixture of orthorhombic and tetragonal phases between 875 °C and 900 °C. Rietveld refinements show the formation of a pure tetragonal phase at 975 °C and of a pure cubic phase at 1000 °C. Partial substitution of manganese by iron and/or titanium to yield CaMn0.875Ti0.125O3-δ (CMT), CaMn0.85Fe0.15O3-δ (CMF) or CaMn0.725Ti0.125Fe0.15O3-δ (CMTF) leads to different phase behaviours. While CMT remains orthorhombic up to the highest temperature covered by the HT-XRD experiments, CMF and CMTF undergo an orthorhombic → tetragonal → cubic sequence of phase transitions. Electrical conductivity relaxation measurements are conducted to determine the chemical diffusion coefficient (Dchem) and the surface exchange coefficient (kchem) of the materials. The results demonstrate that oxygen transport is hindered in the tetragonal phase, when occurring, which is attributed to a possible ordering of oxygen vacancies. The small polaron electrical conductivity of CM in the cited temperature range is lowered upon partial manganese substitution, by about 10% for CMF and up to half an order of magnitude for CMT and CMTF.

Thermoelectric Properties of Ca3Co2-xMnxO6 (x = 0.05, 0.2, 0.5, 0.75, and 1).

High-temperature instability of the Ca3Co4-yO9+δ and CaMnO3-δ direct p-n junction causing the formation of Ca3Co2-xMnxO6 has motivated the investigation of the thermoelectric performance of this intermediate phase. Here, the thermoelectric properties comprising Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity of Ca3Co2-xMnxO6 with x = 0.05, 0.2, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 are reported. Powders of the materials were synthesized by the solid-state method, followed by conventional sintering. The material Ca3CoMnO6 (x = 1) demonstrated a large positive Seebeck coefficient of 668 µV/K at 900 °C, but very low electrical conductivity. Materials with compositions with x < 1 had lower Seebeck coefficients and higher electrical conductivity, consistent with small polaron hopping with an activation energy for mobility of 44 ± 6 kJ/mol and where both the concentration and mobility of hole charge carriers were proportional to 1-x. The conductivity reached about 11 S·cm-1 at 900 °C for x = 0.05. The material Ca3Co1.8Mn0.2O6 (x = 0.2) yielded a maximum zT of 0.021 at 900 °C. While this value in itself is not high, the thermodynamic stability and self-assembly of Ca3Co2-xMnxO6 layers between Ca3Co4-yO9+δ and CaMnO3-δ open for new geometries and designs of oxide-based thermoelectric generators.

Chemical tracer diffusion of Sr and Co in polycrystalline Ca-deficient CaMnO3-δ with CaMn2O4 precipitates.

Diffusivity on the A- and B-site of polycrystalline perovskite CaMnO3-δ with Ca deficiency and spinel CaMn2O4 (marokite) as a secondary phase was studied using chemical tracers and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) complemented by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Thin films containing Sr and Co chemical tracers were deposited on the polished surface of the polycrystalline composite sample followed by annealing at 800-1200 °C for 96 h. Diffusion profiles for each tracer were determined with SIMS, followed by calculation of diffusion coefficients by fitting to appropriate models. The Sr tracer showed mainly lattice diffusion, with an activation energy of 210 ± 30 kJ mol-1, whereas the Co tracer showed a combination of lattice and enhanced grain-boundary diffusion, with activation energies of 270 ± 30 kJ mol-1 and 380 ± 40 kJ mol-1, respectively. The diffusivities may be used to predict interdiffusion and lifetime of junctions between n-type CaMnO3-δ or CaMnO3-δ/CaMn2O4 composites and metallization interlayers or p-type leg materials in oxide thermoelectrics. In particular, the relatively high effective diffusivity of Co in polycrystalline CaMnO3-δ may play a role in the reported fast formation of the secondary phase (Ca3Co2-yMnyO6) between p-type Ca3Co3.92O9+δ and n-type CaMnO3-δ in a direct p-n thermoelectric junction.

All-Oxide Thermoelectric Module with in Situ Formed Non-Rectifying Complex p-p-n Junction and Transverse Thermoelectric Effect.

All-oxide thermoelectric modules for energy harvesting are attractive because of high-temperature stability, low cost, and the potential to use nonscarce and nontoxic elements. Thermoelectric modules are mostly fabricated in the conventional π-design, associated with the challenge of unstable metallic interconnects at high temperature. Here, we report on a novel approach for fabrication of a thermoelectric module with an in situ formed p-p-n junction made of state-of-the-art oxides Ca3Co4-x O9+δ (p-type) and CaMnO3-CaMn2O4 composite (n-type). The module was fabricated by spark plasma co-sintering of p- and n-type powders partly separated by insulating LaAlO3. Where the n- and p-type materials originally were in contact, a layer of p-type Ca3CoMnO6 was formed in situ. The hence formed p-p-n junction exhibited Ohmic behavior and a transverse thermoelectric effect, boosting the open-circuit voltage of the module. The performance of the module was characterized at 700-900 °C, with the highest power output of 5.7 mW (around 23 mW/cm2) at 900 °C and a temperature difference of 160 K. The thermoelectric properties of the p- and n-type materials were measured in the temperature range 100-900 °C, where the highest zT of 0.39 and 0.05 were obtained at 700 and 800 °C, respectively, for Ca3Co4-x O9+δ and the CaMnO3-CaMn2O4 composite.

Impurity diffusion of (141)Pr in LaMnO(3), LaCoO(3) and LaFeO(3) materials.

The impurity diffusion of Pr(3+) in dense polycrystalline LaMnO(3), LaCoO(3) and LaFeO(3) was studied at 1373-1673 K in air in order to investigate cation diffusion in these materials. Cation distribution profiles were measured by secondary-ion mass spectrometry and it was found that penetration profiles of Pr(3+) had two distinct regions with different slopes. The first, shallow region was used to evaluate the bulk diffusion coefficients. The activation energies for bulk diffusion of Pr(3+) in LaMnO(3), LaCoO(3) and LaFeO(3) were 126 +/- 6, 334 +/- 68 and 258 +/- 75 kJ mol(-1), respectively, which are significantly lower than previously predicted by atomistic simulations. The bulk diffusion of Pr(3+) in LaMnO(3) was enhanced compared to LaCoO(3) and LaFeO(3) due to higher concentrations of intrinsic point defects in LaMnO(3), especially La site vacancies. Grain-boundary diffusion coefficients of Pr(3+) in LaCoO(3) and LaFeO(3) materials were evaluated according to the Whipple-Le Claire equation. Activation energies for grain-boundary diffusion of Pr(3+) in LaCoO(3) and LaFeO(3) materials were 264 +/- 41 kJ mol(-1) and 290 +/- 36 kJ mol(-1) respectively. Finally, a correlation between activation energies for cation diffusion in bulk and along grain boundaries in pure and substituted LaBO(3) materials (B = Cr, Fe, Co) is discussed.

Cation self-diffusion in LaCoO(3) and La(2)CoO(4) studied by diffusion couple experiments.

Reaction kinetics between dense, polycrystalline pellets of La2O3 and CoO were investigated at temperatures of 1370-1673 K and oxygen partial pressures of 40 Pa - 50 kPa. At high oxygen partial pressures, single phase LaCoO3 was formed. The growth of the LaCoO3 phase followed the parabolic rate law. The location of Pt markers demonstrated that diffusion of Co3+ cations in LaCoO3 dominated over diffusion of La3+. The diffusion coefficient of Co3+ was determined from the parabolic rate constant, and an activation energy of (250 +/- 10) kJ mol-1 was found. The diffusion coefficient of Co3+ in LaCoO3 decreased with decreasing oxygen partial pressure. At the lowest oxygen partial pressure investigated, two product phases, LaCoO3 and La2CoO4, were observed. The diffusion coefficient of Co cations in La2CoO4 was estimated. Results were discussed in relation to cation diffusion in other LnBO3 oxides (B = Cr3+, Mn3+, Fe3+). A correlation between diffusion of the B cation and the melting point was found for LnBO3 materials.