Phase Morphology Dependence of Ionic Conductivity and Oxidative Stability in Fluorinated Ether Solid-State Electrolytes.

Solid-state polymer electrolytes can enable the safe operation of high energy density lithium metal batteries; unfortunately, they have low ionic conductivity and poor redox stability at electrode interfaces. Fluorinated ether polymer electrolytes are a promising approach because the ether units can solvate and conduct ions, while the fluorinated moieties can increase oxidative stability. However, current perfluoropolyether (PFPE) electrolytes exhibit deficient lithium-ion coordination and ion transport.

Effect of Building Block Connectivity and Ion Solvation on Electrochemical Stability and Ionic Conductivity in Novel Fluoroether Electrolytes.

Novel electrolytes are required for the commercialization of batteries with high energy densities such as lithium metal batteries. Recently, fluoroether solvents have become promising electrolyte candidates because they yield appreciable ionic conductivities, high oxidative stability, and enable high Coulombic efficiencies for lithium metal cycling. However, reported fluoroether electrolytes have similar molecular structures, and the influence of ion solvation in modifying electrolyte properties has not been elucidated.

Ion-Conducting Dynamic Solid Polymer Electrolyte Adhesives.

Cross-linked polymer electrolytes containing structurally dynamic disulfide bonds have been synthesized to investigate their combined ion transport and adhesive properties. Dynamic network polymers of varying cross-link densities are synthesized via thiol oxidation of a bisthiol monomer, 2,2'-(ethylenedioxy)diethanethiol, and tetrathiol cross-linker, pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate). At optimal loading of lithium bis(trifluoromethane-sulfonyl-imide) (LiTFSI) salt, the ionic conductivities (σ) at 90 °C are about 1 × 10 and 1 × 10 S/cm at the lowest and highest cross-linking, respectively.

Bisphenol A, obesity, and type 2 diabetes mellitus: genuine concern or unnecessary preoccupation?

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous industrial chemical found in a variety of plastic containers intended for food storage and in the epoxy resin linings of metal food and beverage cans, where it is used to prevent corrosion, food contamination, and spoilage. BPA has been linked recently to a wide variety of medical disorders and is known to have estrogenic activity with genomic as well as nongenomic estrogen receptor-mediated effects. Given the rapidly increasing prevalence rates of metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, BPA has come under recent intense scrutiny in scientific and lay communities as a potential endocrine-disrupting compound with diabetogenic effects.