Exploiting Zirconium-Based Metallic Glass Thin Films for Anode-Free Lithium-Ion Batteries and Lithium Metal Batteries With Ultra-Long Cycling Life.

Coating Zr-based metallic glass, Zr Cu Ni Al (Zr-MG), on a Cu current collector (CC) and Li metal anode (LMA) significantly improves the cycle performance of both types of Li-ion batteries, namely, anode-free Li-ion batteries (AFLBs) and Li metal batteries (LMB). The inherent isotropy and homogeneity of the Zr-MG significantly improve the surface uniformity of the CC and LMA. A 12 nm-thick Zr-MG thin film coating on the CC reduces the overpotential in the AFLB, leading to a more uniform Li plating morphology.

Simply structured polarization-independent high efficiency multilayer dielectric gratings.

A polarization-independent multilayer dielectric diffraction grating with a low aspect ratio and high diffraction efficiency was designed and fabricated. The diffraction grating designed with a grating density of 1200 lines/mm had an aspect ratio of 0.59, mean polarization-independent diffraction efficiency in the Littrow angle of ±2.

2D PdTe Thin-Film-Coated Current Collectors for Long-Cycling Anode-Free Rechargeable Batteries.

The practical implementation of anode-free batteries is limited by factors such as lithium dendrite growth and low cycling Coulombic efficiency (CE). In this study, the improvement in the electrochemical performance of anode-free rechargeable lithium batteries bearing a Cu current collector (CC) coated with PdTe thin films is reported. The optimized thickness and sputtering heating conditions of the PdTe layer are 15 nm and 473.

Investigation of glass forming ability of Al-based metallic glasses by measuring vaporization enthalpy.

The analysis of the enthalpy changes for vaporization (ΔH) of Al-based metallic glass (MG) can provide insight into the origin of the MG's glass forming ability (GFA). The ΔH of three Al-based MGs, Al(YNi), Al(YNiCo), and Al(YNiCoLa), (hereafter referred to as AYN, AYNC, and AYNCL, respectively), is analyzed by measuring their weight losses below their glass transition temperatures. The relationship between ΔH and aluminum concentration exhibit minimum values in the range of 83-85 at.

Degradation Mechanism of Highly Ni-Rich Li[NiCoMn]O Cathodes with > 0.9.

A series of Ni-rich Li[NiCoMn]O ( = 0.9, 0.92, 0.

An origami-inspired, self-locking robotic arm that can be folded flat.

A foldable arm is one of the practical applications of folding. It can help mobile robots and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) overcome access issues by allowing them to reach into confined spaces. The origami-inspired design enables a foldable structure to be lightweight, compact, and scalable while maintaining its kinematic behavior.

The Mechanical Strength of Si Foams in the Mushy Zone during Solidification of Al-Si Alloys.

The mechanical strength of an Al-30% Si alloy in the mushy zone was estimated by using a novel centrifugation apparatus. In the apparatus, the alloy melt was partially solidified, forming a porous structure made of primary Si platelets (Si foam) while cooling. Subsequently, pressure generated by centrifugal force pushed the liquid phase out of the foam.

Fe-Doping Effect on Thermoelectric Properties of -Type BiSbTe₃.

The substitutional doping approach has been shown to be an effective strategy to improve of Bi₂Te₃-based thermoelectric raw materials. We herein report the Fe-doping effects on electronic and thermal transport properties of polycrystalline bulks of -type BiSbTe₃. After a small amount of Fe-doping on Bi/Sb-sites, the power factor could be enhanced due to the optimization of carrier concentration.

Molecular dynamics simulation of interlayer water embedded in phospholipid bilayer.

1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine lipid bilayer with a thin layer of water molecules inserted in the hydrophobic region was simulated at 300K to observe the pore structure formation during escape of the water molecules from the hydrophobic region. The transformation of the water slab into a cylindrical droplet in the hydrophobic region, which locally deformed the lipid monolayer, was prerequisite to the pore formation. If the thickness of the interlayer water was increased beyond a critical value, the local deformation was suppressed as such deformation would rupture the lipid bilayer.

Capillary flow of amorphous metal for high performance electrode.

Metallic glass (MG) assists electrical contact of screen-printed silver electrodes and leads to comparable electrode performance to that of electroplated electrodes. For high electrode performance, MG needs to be infiltrated into nanometer-scale cavities between Ag particles and reacts with them. Here, we show that the MG in the supercooled state can fill the gap between Ag particles within a remarkably short time due to capillary effect.

Construction of cuprous oxide electrodes composed of 2D single-crystalline dendritic nanosheets.

An unusual anisotropic growth of Cu(2)O is stabilized via the electrochemical synthesis of Cu(2)O in the presence of Ag(+) ions, which results in the formation of Cu(2)O electrodes composed of 2D sheetlike crystals containing complex dendritic patterns. It is quite unusual for Cu(2)O to form a 2D morphology since it has a 3D isotropic cubic crystal structure where the a, b, and c axes are equivalent. Each Cu(2)O sheet is single-crystalline in nature and is grown parallel to the {110} plane, which is rarely observed in Cu(2)O crystal shapes.

Development of CuInSe2 nanocrystal and nanoring inks for low-cost solar cells.

The creation of a suitable inorganic colloidal nanocrystal ink for use in a scalable coating process is a key step in the development of low-cost solar cells. Here, we present a facile solution synthesis of chalcopyrite CuInSe 2 nanocrystals and demonstrate that inks based on these nanocrystals can be used to create simple solar cells, with our first cells exhibiting an efficiency of 3.2% under AM1.