Strong Magnetic Exchange Interactions and Delocalized Mn-O States Enable High-Voltage Capacity in the Na-Ion Cathode P2-Na[MgMn]O.

The increased capacity offered by oxygen-redox active cathode materials for rechargeable lithium- and sodium-ion batteries (LIBs and NIBs, respectively) offers a pathway to the next generation of high-gravimetric-capacity cathodes for use in devices, transportation and on the grid. Many of these materials, however, are plagued with voltage fade, voltage hysteresis and O loss, the origins of which can be traced back to changes in their electronic and chemical structures on cycling. Developing a detailed understanding of these changes is critical to mitigating these cathodes' poor performance.

Graphite Anodes for Li-Ion Batteries: An Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Investigation.

Graphite is the most commercially successful anode material for lithium (Li)-ion batteries: its low cost, low toxicity, and high abundance make it ideally suited for use in batteries for electronic devices, electrified transportation, and grid-based storage. The physical and electrochemical properties of graphite anodes have been thoroughly characterized. However, questions remain regarding their electronic structures and whether the electrons occupy localized states on Li, delocalized states on C, or an admixture of both.

Magnetically driven preparation of 1-D nano-necklaces capable of MRI relaxation enhancement.

We report a novel magnetically-facilitated approach to produce 1-D 'nano-necklace' arrays composed of 0-D magnetic nanoparticles, which are assembled and coated with an oxide layer to produce semi-flexible core@shell type structures. These 'nano-necklaces' demonstrate good MRI relaxation properties despite their coating and permanent alignment, with low field enhancement due to structural and magnetocrystalline anisotropy.

Triarylamines as Catholytes in Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Batteries.

A series of triarylamines was synthesised and screened for their suitability as catholytes in redox flow batteries using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Tris(4-aminophenyl)amine was found to be the strongest candidate. Solubility and initial electrochemical performance were promising; however, polymerisation was observed during electrochemical cycling leading to rapid capacity fade prescribed to a loss of accessible active material and the limitation of ion transport processes within the cell.