Monitoring state of charge and volume expansion in lithium-ion batteries: an approach using surface mounted thin-film graphene sensors.

Accurate monitoring of battery cell state of charge (SoC) and state of health (SoH) is vital to the safe and effective operation of rechargeable battery systems such as those in electric vehicles yet remains a challenge while the system is in use. A new surface-mounted sensor enabling simple and rapid monitoring of lithium-ion battery cell SoC and SoH is demonstrated. Small changes in cell volume brought about by the expansion and contraction of electrode materials during charge and discharge are detected through monitoring the changes in electrical resistance of a graphene film in the sensor.

Efficient Cathode Buffer Material Based on Dibenzothiophene-,-dioxide for Both Conventional and Inverted Organic Solar Cells.

A novel conjugated molecule (PBSON) based on a main chain composed of bis(dibenzothiophene-,-dioxide) fused cyclopentadiene and side chains containing amino groups is presented as an efficient cathode buffer material (CBM) for organic solar cells (OSCs). PBSON showed a deep highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level of -6.01 eV, which was beneficial for building hole-blocking layers at the cathodes of OSCs.