Open Access

Abstract: In order to meet the sophisticated demands for large-scale applications such as electro-mobility, next generation energy storage technologies require advanced electrode active materials with enhanced gravimetric and volumetric capacities to achieve increased gravimetric energy and volumetric energy densities. However, most of these materials suffer from high 1st cycle active lithium losses, e.g., caused by solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation, which in turn hinder their broad commercial use so far. [...]

BackgroundMicroglia—the resident immune cells of the brain—are activated after brain lesions, e.g., cerebral ischemia, and polarize towards a classic “M1” pro-inflammatory or an alternative “M2” anti-inflammatory phenotype following characteristic temporo-spatial patterns, contributing either to secondary tissue damage or to regenerative responses. They closely interact with endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) residing in distinct niches of the adult brain. [...]

The quest towards increasing the energy density of traction battery technologies has led to the emergence and diversification of battery materials. The lithium sulfur battery (LSB) is in this regard a promising material for batteries due to its specific energy. [...]

The thermal stability of lithium ion batteries was studied by means of Accelerating Rate Calorimetry in Heat-Wait-Search operation on both electrode and cell level. Fresh and aged samples were investigated depending on the state-of-charge (SoC) of a 5 Ah pouch cell comprising mesocarbon microbeads and LiNi0.4Co0.2Mn0.4O2 as the anode and cathode materials. [...]

Several electrolytes of commercially available lithium ion batteries (LIBs) were analyzed by solid phase microextraction – gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS). The uptake and subsequent injection of the conducting salt LiPF6 into the GC system was prevented by using a headspace SPME setup. [...]

A method for the separation, identification and quantification of the ionic decomposition products of LiPF6 based organic electrolytes was developed. It employed the simultaneous coupling of two-dimensional ion chromatography (2D IC) with electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). [...]

Lithium metal as an electrode material possesses a native surface film, which leads to a rough surface and this has a negative impact on the cycling behavior. A simple, fast, and reproducible technique is shown, which makes it possible to flatten and thin the native surface film of the lithium‐metal anode. [...]

Quantitative electrolyte extraction from lithium ion batteries (LIB) is of great interest for recycling processes. Following the generally valid EU legal guidelines for the recycling of batteries, 50 wt % of a LIB cell has to be recovered, which cannot be achieved without the electrolyte; hence, the electrolyte represents a target component for the recycling of LIBs. [...]

The quantification of lithium ion battery electrolyte additives provides challenges in terms of methods and instrumentation. In this work, the detectability of the flame retardant additive tris(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) phosphite (TTFPi) differs unusually when added to a standard electrolyte (1 M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate (EC)[thin space (1/6-em)]:[thin space (1/6-em)]dimethyl carbonate (DMC) 1[thin space (1/6-em)]:[thin space (1/6-em)]1 wt%) using gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). [...]

Antimony sulfide solar cells have demonstrated an efficiency exceeding 7% when assembled in an extremely thin absorber configuration deposited via chemical bath deposition. More recently, less complex, planar geometries were obtained from simple spin-coating approaches, but the device efficiency still lags behind. [...]