Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia.
Published: December 2024
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
Polymer-in-salt electrolytes were introduced three decades ago as an innovative solution to the challenge of low Li-ion conductivity in solvent-free solid polymer electrolytes. Despite significant progress, the approach still faces considerable challenges, ranging from a fundamental understanding to the development of suitable polymers and salts. A critical issue is maintaining both the stability and high conductivity of molten salts within a polymer matrix, which has constrained their further exploration. This research offers a promising solution by integrating cationic poly(ionic liquids) (polyIL) with a crystallization-resistive salt consisting of asymmetric anions. A stable polymer-in-salt electrolyte with an exceptionally high Li-salt content of up to 90 mol % was achieved, providing a valuable opportunity for the in-depth understanding of these electrolytes at an extremely high salt concentration. This work explicates how increased salt concentration affects coordination structures, glass transitions, ionic conductivity, and the decoupling and coupling of ion transport from structural dynamics in a polymer electrolyte, ultimately enhancing electrolyte performance. These findings provide significant knowledge advancement in the field, guiding the future design of polymer-in-salt electrolytes.
The electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NORR) involves multiple hydrogenation and deoxygenation steps, which compete with the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Therefore, NORR driven in acidic media is challenging in spite of advantageous fast hydrogen transfers in its elementary steps. The findings presented in this article first demonstrate that the NORR is significantly activated even in acidic lithium nitrate solutions at LiNO concentrations exceeding 6 m on a Pt electrode (the highly effective catalyst for HER) by the formation of a "hydronium-in-salt" electrolyte (HISE), a new type of aqueous high concentration salt electrolyte.
Nanopores drilled in materials can electrophoretically drive charged biomolecules to enable their detection. Here, we explore and compare two-dimensional nanopores, graphene and MoS, in order to unravel their advantages and disadvantages with regard to protein detection. We tuned the protein translocation and its dynamics by the choice and concentration of the surrounding solvent.
A novel bacterial strain, HK31-G, was isolated from a subsurface geothermal aquifer (Hellisheidi, SW-Iceland) and was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene along with phylogenomic position indicated that the novel strain belongs to the genus Phenylobacterium. Cells are motile Gram-negative thin rods.
Rice is considered to be moderately salt-tolerant during germination, development, and ripening stages, and environmentally sensitive during seedling and reproductive stages, which affects seedling emergence and growth, resulting in significant yield losses. Seed conditioning with chitosan has been employed as a useful tool in high-salinity environments with the aim of increasing crop productivity and quality, as well as promoting more sustainable agricultural practices. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of seed conditioning with chitosan on seed germination and rice seedling growth under salinity stress.
To prepare dual-functional seasoning ingredients with a salty-umami taste, five proteases were applied to hydrolyze proteins, preparing enzymatic hydrolysates. Their taste compounds along with the salty-umami taste, were investigated. The results revealed that enzymatic hydrolysis facilitated the release of taste compounds from .
