The uneven formation of a solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) in Li-ion batteries (LIBs) results in continuous electrolyte consumption and poor ionic conductivity, leading to degradation of the electrochemical performance. In this study, we report the optimal conditions for SEI formation to achieve enhanced electrochemical performance of a SiOx anode in LIBs using a pre-lithiation under short-circuit-containing constant-resistance (PLSC) process. The SiOx electrode prepared using the PLSC process delivers more outstanding cycle life (capacity retention of ∼88.6% over 500 cycles) than that of an electrode prepared using the normal discharging process. Furthermore, PLSC process results in significantly improved power capability of SiOx with a capacity retention of ∼66.6% at 3 A g−1 (vs. the capacity measured at 0.1 A g−1).
Degradation of methyl orange (MO) in liquid phase plasma (LPP) was investigated. A bipolar pulsed power supply was used to generate discharges in the aqueous solution. Properties of generated plasma were investigated by electrical and optical emission spectroscopy methods. The MO decomposition rate increased with increasing levels of applied voltage, pulse width and frequency. The concentrations of activated species, including OH• radicals, were increased by the supply of DO. The concentration of OH• increased with increasing DO concentration up to 50 ppm. Further increase in the DO concentration, however, reduced the OH• concentration because of recombination of OH• radicals. The trend of MO decomposition rate with varying DO concentration was the same as that observed for the OH• concentration, suggesting that OH• radicals play a critical role in the decomposition of MO. Therefore, the LPP process for MO decomposition should be operated with an optimum DO concentration where the OH• radical concentration becomes highest.
The photo-catalytic decomposition of rhodamine B was examined in aqueous nano TiO2 particles dispersions to assess effects of the microwave radiation assisted photo-catalytic process driven by UV radiation. The results of photo-catalytic degradation of rhodamine B showed that the decomposition rate increased with the microwave intensity, UV intensity, TiO2 particle dosages and the circulating fluid velocity. Addition of oxygen gas in the photo-catalytic degradation of rhodamine B increased the reaction rate. The effect of addition of H2O2 was not significant when photo-catalysis was used without additional microwave radiation or when microwave was irradiated without the use of photo-catalysts. When H2O2 was added under simultaneous use of photo-catalysis and microwave irradiation, however, considerably higher degradation reaction rates were observed. This study demonstrates that the microwave irradiation can play a very important role in photo-catalytic degradation.
Ultrafine crystalline TiO2 powders were prepared by just heating and stirring aqueous TiOCl2 solution with a Ti+4 concentration of 0.5 mol/l at room temperature to 100°C under one atmosphere. The crystallinity, the phase transformation and the particle shape of ultrafine TiO2 powders obtained by this simple precipitation method were analyzed using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential thermal analyzer (DTA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). TiO2 crystalline precipitates with a pure rutile phase were formed below 65°C, then TiO2 crystalline precipitates with an anatase phase started forming at temperatures higher than 65°C, which ends with the pure anatase phase at 100°C. The direct formation of TiO2 crystalline precipitates from an aqueous TiOCl2 solution is due to the existence of the OH- ions in distilled water which cause the crystallization of TiOCl2 to TiO2 without hydrolyzation to Ti(OH)4. Conventionally, rutile-phase TiO2 is obtained at much higher temperatures. However, in this study a stable rutile-phase TiO2 was obtained by a simple method at close to room temperature.
The catalytic activities of acid catalysts for the acetylation of triethyl citrate with acetic anhydride in the preparation of acetyl triethyl citrate were evaluated. Microporous zeolites such as HZSM-5 and HY zeolites catalysts were introduced as heterogeneous acid catalysts. HZSM-5 zeolite catalysts showed a high conversion of triethyl citrate and excellent selectivity of acetyl triethyl citrate. The catalytic activities of HZSM-5 zeolites were superior to those of the HY zeolites. In particular, the selectivity of acetyl triethyl citrate on HZSM-5 zeolites exceeded 95%. The moderate acid strength of HZSM-5 (Si/Al = 75) zeolite led to the highest catalytic activities among the HZSM-5 zeolite catalysts, which have various acid strengths.
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