Transformation Kinetics of LiBH-MgH for Hydrogen Storage.

The reactive hydride composite (RHC) LiBH-MgH is regarded as one of the most promising materials for hydrogen storage. Its extensive application is so far limited by its poor dehydrogenation kinetics, due to the hampered nucleation and growth process of MgB. Nevertheless, the poor kinetics can be improved by additives.

Microstructural Study of MgB in the LiBH-MgH Composite by Using TEM.

The hampered kinetics of reactive hydride composites (RHCs) in hydrogen storage and release, which limits their use for extensive applications in hydrogen storage S1and energy conversion, can be improved using additives. However, the mechanism of the kinetic restriction and the additive effect on promoting the kinetics have remained unclear. These uncertainties are addressed by utilizing versatile transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on the LiBH-MgH composite under the influence of the 3TiCl·AlCl additives.

Local Structure and Magnetism of FeO Maghemite Nanocrystals: The Role of Crystal Dimension.

Here we report on the impact of reducing the crystalline size on the structural and magnetic properties of γ-FeO maghemite nanoparticles. A set of polycrystalline specimens with crystallite size ranging from ~2 to ~50 nm was obtained combining microwave plasma synthesis and commercial samples. Crystallite size was derived by electron microscopy and synchrotron powder diffraction, which was used also to investigate the crystallographic structure.

High-Resolution Surface Analysis on Aluminum Oxide-Coated LiMnNiCoO with Improved Capacity Retention.

Thin alumina coatings on Li-rich nickel cobalt manganese oxide (Li-rich NCM) particles used as cathode material in Li-ion batteries can improve the capacity retention during cycling. However, the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. It is crucial to determine the degree of coverage of the particle's coating on various length scales from micrometer to nanometer and to link it to the electrochemical properties.

silk/titania/gold hybrid materials for photocatalytic water splitting: combining renewable raw materials with clean fuels.

The synthesis, structure, and photocatalytic water splitting performance of two new titania (TiO)/gold(Au)/ silk hybrid materials are reported. All materials are monoliths with diameters of up to ca. 4.

SQUID magnetometry combined with in situ cyclic voltammetry: A case study of tunable magnetism of [Formula: see text]-FeO nanoparticles.

SQUID magnetometry combined with in situ cyclic voltammetry by means of a three-electrode chemical cell opens up novel potentials for studying correlations between electrochemical processes and magnetic behaviour. The combination of these methods shows that the charge-induced variation of the magnetic moment of nanocrystalline maghemite ([Formula: see text]-FeO) of about 4% strongly depends on the voltage regime of charging. Upon positive charging, the charge-induced variation of the magnetic moment is suppressed due to adsorption layers.