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Keywords: Sepsis-associated Escherichia coli, cytotoxic factor, transcytosis
Published in RUNG: 27.05.2019; Views: 5174; Downloads: 0
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Keywords: Shiga toxins, phage display, Stx1, Stx2, neutralizers
Published in RUNG: 27.05.2019; Views: 3610; Downloads: 0
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Abstract: Sulfur based batteries are considered as very attractive energy storage devices. Sulfur is one of the most abundant elements in the earth, it is electrochemically active material which can accept up to two electrons per atom. In combination with alkali metals, sulfur forms electrochemical couples with much higher theoretical energy density compared to Li-ion batteries commonly available today. At the moment, the electrochemical couple with Li is most extensively studied. While the main principle of operation is known the relevant operation mechanism(s) is not completely clear. Even more promising is the electrochemical couple with Mg providing almost twofold higher volumetric energy density due to its ability to provide two electrons during oxidation. However, Mg-S batteries are still in the very early stage of research and development and the complex mechanism of sulfur conversion has been less extensively studied. In order to improve the understanding of sulfur electrochemical conversion and its interactions within electrode, we need to apply new experimental approaches capable to provide precise information about local environment of S in the cathode during battery operation. In our work, resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) and XAS measurements at the sulfur K-edge performed in operando mode were used to study the lithium-polysulfide formation during the discharge process. Measurements were performed at ID26 beamline of the ESRF synchrotron using tender X-ray emission spectrometer [1]. Resonant excitation condition enhanced the sensitivity for the lithium−polysulfide detection. On the other hand, the sulfate signal from the electrolyte was heavily suppressed and the self-absorption effects minimized due to fixed excitation energy. This experimental methodology was used to provide quantitative analysis of sulfur compounds in the cathode of a Li−S battery cell during the discharge process [2]. The high-voltage plateau in the discharge curve was characterized by a rapid conversion of solid sulfur into liquid phase Li polysulfides reaching its maximum at the end of this plateau. At this point the starting point for the precipitation of the Li2S from the liquid polysulfide phase was observed. The same approach has been used also for the Mg-S battery revealing similar mechanism as in case of Li-S battery [3]. The electrochemical conversion of sulfur with magnesium proceeds through two well-defined plateaus, which correspond to the equilibrium between sulfur and Mg polysulfides (high-voltage plateau) and polysulfides and MgS (low-voltage plateau).
Keywords: Mg-Sulphur batteries, XANES, RIXS
Published in RUNG: 13.09.2018; Views: 4481; Downloads: 0
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Abstract: X-ray absorption spectra in the energy region of absorption edges reveal fine details of the mechanism of inner-shell photoexcitation: in particular in spectra of free atoms or simple molecules, the simplest being gaseous hydrides [1-2]. In a collection of data from consecutive and homologous elements, analyzed by a common procedure, the reaction channels can be identified with better precision and reliability than in analysis of individual spectra. Absorption spectra of the hydrides of 3p elements (PH3, H2S in HCl) were measured at the XAFS beamline of the Elettra synchrotron in Trieste: a new type of adjustable absorption cell for measurement of noxious gases at room temperature and at low photon energies was developed for the purpose. For the analysis, data from an earlier experiment on 4p hydrides (GeH4, AsH3, H2Se, HBr), and published data of 2p hydrides (CH4, NH3, H2O, HF) [3-4] as well as SiH4 and the noble gases concluding the isoelectronic series (Ne, Ar, Kr) were adopted. The spectra are compared to respective calculated spectra, obtained by atomic HF86, GRASP codes and molecular DFT (Density functional theory) ORCA code [5]. Our analysis of the pre-edge structures showed that the energies and probabilities of singleelectron transitions into the lowermost orbitals with the molecular character were strongly affected by the symmetry of the molecule, essentially in the same way in 3p and 4p homologues, but not in 2p homologues with a stronger influence of the core charge. In transitions to higher orbitals with prevailing atomic character the influence of the molecular field is negligible. The fine structure immediately above the K edge stems from the coexcitation of valence electrons. These coexcitations can be explained as a two-step process: the inner-shell photoeffect followed by the shake-up of a valence electron predominantly to a free atomic orbital. The process is markedly different from coexcitations of more tightly bound electrons [3]. The results of relative shake-up probabilities can be compared to results of emission spectroscopies, the probabilities of double excitation to bound states show a correlation with the dissociation probability of the molecule.
Keywords: večelektronske vzbuditve, hidridi, rentgenska absorpcijska spektroskopija
Published in RUNG: 12.09.2018; Views: 4149; Downloads: 0
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Abstract: Li-S batteries are promising energy storage technology for the future, however there two major problems remained which need to be solved before successful commercialization. Capacity fading due to polysulfide shuttle and corrosion of lithium metal are directly connected with the type and quantity of electrolyte used in the cells. Several recent works show dependence of the electrochemical behavior of Li-S batteries on type of the electrolyte. In this work we compare and discuss a discharge mechanism of sulfur conversion in three different electrolytes based on measurements with sulfur K-edge XAS. The sulfur conversion mechanism in the ether based electrolytes, the most studied type of solvents in the Li-S batteries, which are enabling high solubility of polysulfides are compared with the fluorinated ether based electrolytes with a reduced polysulfide solubility and in carbonate based electrolytes with the sulfur confined into a ultramicroporous carbon. In all three cases the sulfur reduction proceeds through polysulfide intermediate phases with a difference on the type polysulfides detected at different steps of discharge.
Keywords: Li-S batteries, operando sulphur K-edge XANES, EXAFS, Li-polysulphides
Published in RUNG: 01.06.2018; Views: 3589; Downloads: 0
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