Polarized neutron imaging at NeXT (neutron and x-ray tomograph) at Institut Laue Langevin.

This work describes the implementation of polarized neutron imaging capabilities at the neutron and x-ray tomograph (NeXT) imaging station of the Institut Laue Langevin. This development enhances the capacity of this instrument to study advanced magnetic materials, which are crucial in a variety of engineering applications. Here, the feasibility of polarized neutron imaging at NeXT is demonstrated by visualizing the magnetic field generated by a simple bar magnet.

Metal-Organic Framework-Based Materials for Advanced Sodium Storage: Development and Anticipation.

As a pioneering battery technology, even though sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are safe, non-flammable, and capable of exhibiting better temperature endurance performance than lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), because of lower energy density and larger ionic size, they are not amicable for large-scale applications. Generally, the electrochemical storage performance of a secondary battery can be improved by monitoring the composition and morphology of electrode materials. Because more is the intricacy of a nanostructured composite electrode material, more electrochemical storage applications would be expected.

A Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Strategy for Constructing Synergistic N-Doped Carbon-Encapsulated NiCoP@N-C-Based Anodes toward High-Efficient Lithium Storage.

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) have been regarded as the prospective anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, their poor intrinsic conductivity and inevitable large volume variation result in sluggish redox kinetics and the collapse of electrode structure during cycling, which substantially hinders their practical use. Herein, an effective composite electrodes design strategy of "assembly and phosphorization" is proposed to construct synergistic N-doped carbon-encapsulated NiCoP@N-C-based composites, employing a metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as sacrificial hosts.

Ultra-Sleek High Entropy Alloy Tights: Realizing Superior Cyclability for Anode-Free Battery.

The development of Li-free anodes to inhibit Li dendrite formation and provide high energy density Li batteries is highly applauded. However, the lithiophobic interphase and heterogeneous Li deposition hindered the practical application. In this work, a 20 nm ultra-sleek high entropy alloy (HEA, NiCdCuInZn) tights loaded with HEA nanoparticles are developed by a thermodynamically driven phase transition method on the carbon fiber (HEA/C).

Insights into Electrode Architectures and Lithium-Ion Transport in Polycrystalline V O Cathodes of Solid-State Batteries.

Polymer-based solid-state batteries (SSBs) have received increasing attentions due to the absence of interfacial problems in sulfide/oxide-type SSBs, but the lower oxidation potential of polymer-based electrolytes greatly limits the application of conventional high-voltage cathode such as LiNi Co Mn O (NCM) and lithium-rich NCM. Herein, this study reports on a lithium-free V O cathode that enables the applications of polymer-based solid-state electrolyte (SSE) with high energy density due to the microstructured transport channels and suitable operational voltage. Using a synergistic combination of structural inspection and non-destructive X-ray computed tomography (X-CT), it interprets the chemo-mechanical behavior that determines the electrochemical performance of the V O cathode.

Recent Progress for Concurrent Realization of Shuttle-Inhibition and Dendrite-Free Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have become one of the most promising new-generation energy storage systems owing to their ultrahigh energy density (2600 Wh kg ), cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness. Nevertheless, their practical applications are seriously impeded by the shuttle effect of soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), and the uncontrolled dendrite growth of metallic Li, which result in rapid capacity fading and battery safety problems. A systematic and comprehensive review of the cooperative combination effect and tackling the fundamental problems in terms of cathode and anode synchronously is still lacking.

Revealing the Effect of High Ni Content in Li-Rich Cathode Materials: Mitigating Voltage Decay or Increasing Intrinsic Reactivity.

Li-rich layered oxides are considered as one of the most promising cathode materials for secondary lithium batteries due to their high specific capacities, but the issue of continuous voltage decay during cycling hinders their market entry. Increasing the Ni content in Li-rich materials is assumed to be an effective way to address this issue and attracts recent research interests. However, a high Ni content may induce increased intrinsic reactivity of materials, resulting in severe side reactions with the electrolyte.

Proton Storage in Metallic HMoO Nanobelts through the Grotthuss Mechanism.

The proton, as the cationic form of the lightest element-H, is regarded as most ideal charge carrier in "rocking chair" batteries. However, current research on proton batteries is still at its infancy, and they usually deliver low capacity and suffer from severe acidic corrosion. Herein, electrochemically activated metallic HMoO nanobelts are developed as a stable electrode for proton storage.

Dynamic Intercalation-Conversion Site Supported Ultrathin 2D Mesoporous SnO/SnSe Hybrid as Bifunctional Polysulfide Immobilizer and Lithium Regulator for Lithium-Sulfur Chemistry.

The practical application of lithium-sulfur batteries is impeded by the polysulfide shuttling and interfacial instability of the metallic lithium anode. In this work, a twinborn ultrathin two-dimensional graphene-based mesoporous SnO/SnSe hybrid (denoted as G-mSnO/SnSe) is constructed as a polysulfide immobilizer and lithium regulator for Li-S chemistry. The as-designed G-mSnO/SnSe hybrid possesses high conductivity, strong chemical affinity (SnO), and a dynamic intercalation-conversion site (LiSnSe), inhibits shuttle behavior, provides rapid Li-intercalative transport kinetics, accelerates LiPS conversion, and decreases the decomposition energy barrier for LiS, which is evidenced by the XAS spectra, Raman, XRD, and DFT calculations.

P-Doped NiTe with Te-Vacancies in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Prevents Shuttling and Promotes Polysulfide Conversion.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have been hindered by the shuttle effect and sluggish polysulfide conversion kinetics. Here, a P-doped nickel tellurium electrocatalyst with Te-vacancies (P⊂NiTe ) anchored on maize-straw carbon (MSC) nanosheets, served as a functional layer (MSC/P⊂NiTe ) on the separator of high-performance Li-S batteries. The P⊂NiTe electrocatalyst enhanced the intrinsic conductivity, strengthened the chemical affinity for polysulfides, and accelerated sulfur redox conversion.

Interfacial Chemistry Enables Stable Cycling of All-Solid-State Li Metal Batteries at High Current Densities.

The application of flexible, robust, and low-cost solid polymer electrolytes in next-generation all-solid-state lithium metal batteries has been hindered by the low room-temperature ionic conductivity of these electrolytes and the small critical current density of the batteries. Both issues stem from the low mobility of Li ions in the polymer and the fast lithium dendrite growth at the Li metal/electrolyte interface. Herein, Mg(ClO) is demonstrated to be an effective additive in the poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based composite electrolyte to regulate Li ion transport and manipulate the Li metal/electrolyte interfacial performance.

Mathematical Modeling and Simulation Provides Evidence for New Strategies of Ovarian Stimulation.

New approaches to ovarian stimulation protocols, such as luteal start, random start or double stimulation, allow for flexibility in ovarian stimulation at different phases of the menstrual cycle. It has been proposed that the success of these methods is based on the continuous growth of multiple cohorts ("waves") of follicles throughout the menstrual cycle which leads to the availability of ovarian follicles for ovarian controlled stimulation at several time points. Though several preliminary studies have been published, their scientific evidence has not been considered as being strong enough to integrate these results into routine clinical practice.

Catalytic Reactivation of Industrial Oxygen Depolarized Cathodes by in situ Generation of Atomic Hydrogen.

Electrocatalytically active materials on the industrial as well as on the laboratory scale may suffer from chemical instability during operation, air exposure, or storage in the electrolyte. A strategy to recover the loss of electrocatalytic activity is presented. Oxygen-depolarized cathodes (ODC), analogous to those that are utilized in industrial brine electrolysis, are analyzed: the catalytic activity of the electrodes upon storage (4 weeks) under industrial process conditions (30 wt % NaOH, without operation) diminishes.

Tensorial neutron tomography of three-dimensional magnetic vector fields in bulk materials.

Knowing the distribution of a magnetic field in bulk materials is important for understanding basic phenomena and developing functional magnetic materials. Microscopic imaging techniques employing X-rays, light, electrons, or scanning probe methods have been used to quantify magnetic fields within planar thin magnetic films in 2D or magnetic vector fields within comparable thin volumes in 3D. Some years ago, neutron imaging has been demonstrated to be a unique tool to detect magnetic fields and magnetic domain structures within bulk materials.

An X-ray Tomographic Study of Rechargeable Zn/MnO₂ Batteries.

We present non-destructive and non-invasive in operando X-ray tomographic investigations of the charge and discharge behavior of rechargeable alkaline-manganese (RAM) batteries (Zn-MnO₂ batteries). Changes in the three-dimensional structure of the zinc anode and the MnO₂ cathode material after several charge/discharge cycles were analyzed. Battery discharge leads to a decrease in the zinc particle sizes, revealing a layer-by-layer dissolving behavior.

Elastic to Plastic Deformation in Uniaxially Stressed Polylelectrolyte Multilayer Films.

Polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) are thin polymeric films produced by alternating adsorption of positively and negatively charged polyelectrolytes (PE) on a substrate. These films are considered drug delivery agents as well as coating material for implants, due to their antibiofouling and biologically benign properties. For these reasons the film mechanical properties as well as response to mechanical stress are important measurement parameters.

Setup for polarized neutron imaging using in situ He cells at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory High Flux Isotope Reactor CG-1D beamline.

In the present study, we report a new setup for polarized neutron imaging at the ORNL High Flux Isotope Reactor CG-1D beamline using an in situ He polarizer and analyzer. This development is very important for extending the capabilities of the imaging instrument at ORNL providing a polarized beam with a large field-of-view, which can be further used in combination with optical devices like Wolter optics, focusing guides, or other lenses for the development of microscope arrangement. Such a setup can be of advantage for the existing and future imaging beamlines at the pulsed neutron sources.

Floccular fossa size is not a reliable proxy of ecology and behaviour in vertebrates.

The cerebellar floccular and parafloccular lobes are housed in fossae of the periotic region of the skull of different vertebrates. Experimental evidence indicates that the lobes integrate visual and vestibular information and control the vestibulo-ocular reflex, vestibulo-collic reflex, smooth pursuit and gaze holding. Multiple paleoneuroanatomy studies have deduced the behaviour of fossil vertebrates by measuring the floccular fossae (FF).

Morphological Evolution of Electrochemically Plated/Stripped Lithium Microstructures Investigated by Synchrotron X-ray Phase Contrast Tomography.

Due to its low redox potential and high theoretical specific capacity, Li metal has drawn worldwide research attention because of its potential use in next-generation battery technologies such as Li-S and Li-O2. Unfortunately, uncontrollable growth of Li microstructures (LmSs, e.g.

In Situ Radiographic Investigation of (De)Lithiation Mechanisms in a Tin-Electrode Lithium-Ion Battery.

The lithiation and delithiation mechanisms of multiple-Sn particles in a customized flat radiography cell were investigated by in situ synchrotron radiography. For the first time, four (de)lithiation phenomena in a Sn-electrode battery system are highlighted: 1) the (de)lithiation behavior varies between different Sn particles, 2) the time required to lithiate individual Sn particles is markedly different from the time needed to discharge the complete battery, 3) electrochemical deactivation of originally electrochemically active particles is reported, and 4) a change of electrochemical behavior of individual particles during cycling is found and explained by dynamic changes of (de)lithiation pathways amongst particles within the electrode. These unexpected findings fundamentaly expand the understanding of the underlying (de)lithiation mechanisms inside commercial lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and would open new design principles for high-performance next-generation LIBs.

Role of S and Se atoms on the microstructural properties of kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S(x)Se(1-x))4 thin film solar cells.

Microstructural properties of Cu2ZnSn(S(x)Se(1-x))4 kesterite solid solutions were investigated using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction for the full interval of anion compositions in order to explore the influence of S and Se atoms on the thin film morphology. Thin films were prepared by sputtering deposition of metallic precursors, which were then submitted to a high temperature sulfo-selenization process. By adjusting process parameters samples from sulfur- to selenium-pure (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) were made.

Three-Dimensional Visualization of Gas Evolution and Channel Formation inside a Lithium-Ion Battery.

Gas generation within lithium ion batteries (LIBs) gives rise to safety concerns that question their applicability. By employing synchrotron X-ray imaging, the gas and channel evolution occurring in an operating LIB have been directly visualized in their inherent 3D state as a function of discharge and charge. Using the spatial 3D distribution of gas bubbles and channels, the active particles that dictate the performance of a functional LIB were identified and visualized in 3D.

μCT-Based Analysis of the Solid Phase in Foams: Cell Wall Corrugation and other Microscopic Features.

This work presents a series of three-dimensional computational methods with the objective of analyzing and quantifying some important structural characteristics in a collection of low-density polyolefin-based foams. First, the solid phase tortuosity, local thickness, and surface curvature, have been determined over the solid phase of the foam. These parameters were used to quantify the presence of wrinkles located at the cell walls of the foams under study.

Slow crystallisation of a monodisperse foam stabilised against coarsening.

The evolution of a three-dimensional monodisperse foam was investigated using X-ray tomography over the course of seven days. The coarsening of the sample was inhibited through the use of perfluorohexane gas. The internal configuration of bubbles is seen to change markedly, evolving from a disordered arrangement towards a more ordered state.