Interplay between electrochemical reactions and mechanical responses in silicon-graphite anodes and its impact on degradation.

Durability of high-energy throughput batteries is a prerequisite for electric vehicles to penetrate the market. Despite remarkable progresses in silicon anodes with high energy densities, rapid capacity fading of full cells with silicon-graphite anodes limits their use. In this work, we unveil degradation mechanisms such as Li crosstalk between silicon and graphite, consequent Li accumulation in silicon, and capacity depression of graphite due to silicon expansion.

Electrochemistry of conductive polymers. 45. Nanoscale conductivity of PEDOT and PEDOT:PSS composite films studied by current-sensing AFM.

[Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)] (PEDOT:PSS, Baytron P) composite films were prepared under various conditions and their conductivities were studied by the current-sensing atomic force microscopy (CS-AFM) technique. Topographic and current images of pristine and additive-treated PEDOT:PSS as well as electrochemically synthesized PEDOT films were obtained in nanoscale using the CS-AFM. The as-prepared pristine PEDOT:PSS films showed a low population of conductive spots isolated by large insulating regions; both their population and the conductivities increased upon addition of a few additives to the PEDOT:PSS solution before spin-coating.

Screening of photocatalysts by scanning electrochemical microscopy.

A method for rapid screening of photocatalysts employing a form of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) is described. A piezoelectric dispenser was used to deposit arrays composed of approximately 300-microm-size photocatalyst spots with different compositions onto conducting glass, fluorine-doped tin oxide substrate. The scanning tip of the SECM was replaced by a fiber optic connected to a xenon lamp and was rapidly scanned over the array.

Electrochemical generation of ferrate in acidic media at boron-doped diamond electrodes.

An extremely strong oxidant, ferrate (Fe(VI) or FeO4(2-), has been produced electrochemically in an acidic aqueous medium for the first time.