To simulate the process of electrode operation, a dynamic model describing the electrode system of three-phase electric arc furnace was developed. This new model can be divided into three submodels in terms of the pra...To simulate the process of electrode operation, a dynamic model describing the electrode system of three-phase electric arc furnace was developed. This new model can be divided into three submodels in terms of the practical situation. They are the power supply system model the electric arc model and the hydraulic actuator system model. According to the basic circuit theory, the power supply system model where the high voltage transmission circuit and mutual inductances were considered, was set up. The electric arc model, which was novel for the electrode control, served as the electrical load and was connected to the power supply system model. The hydraulic actuator system model consists of the proportional valve part that is modeled to capture the dead-zone nonlinear characteristics and the hydraulic cylinder part where the impact of the load force is taken into account. By comparing simulation data and actual data, the results show that the electrode system model is proved to be accurate.展开更多
A study on the electrochemical disinfection with H202 generated at the gas diffusion electrode （GDE） from active carbon/poly- tetrafluoroethylene was performed in a non-membrane cell. The effects of Pt load and the ...A study on the electrochemical disinfection with H202 generated at the gas diffusion electrode （GDE） from active carbon/poly- tetrafluoroethylene was performed in a non-membrane cell. The effects of Pt load and the pore-forming agent content in GDE, and operating conditions were investigated. The experimental results showed that nearly all bacterial cultures inoculated in the secondary effluent from wastewater treatment plant could be inactivated within 30 min at a current density of 10 mA/cm^2. The disinfection improved with increasing Pt load. Addition of the pore-forming agent NH4HCO3 improved the disinfection, while a drop in the pH value resulted in a rapid rise of germicidal efficacy and the disinfection time was shortened with increasing oxygen flow rate. Adsorption was proved to be ineffective in destroying bacteria, while germicidal efficacy increased with current density. The acceleration rate was different, it initially increased with current density. Then decreased, and finally reached a maximum at a current density of 6.7 mA/cm^2. The disinfection also improved with decreasing total bacterial count. The germicidal efficacy in the cathode compartment was approximately the same as in the anode compartment, indicating that the contribution of direct oxidation and the indirect treatment of bacterial cultures by hydroxyl radical was similar to the oxidative indirect effect of the generated H2O2.展开更多
This paper presents a new application of a genetic-fuzzy control system which controls the input energy to a three phase electric arc furnace. Graphite electrodes are used to convert electrical energy into heat via ph...This paper presents a new application of a genetic-fuzzy control system which controls the input energy to a three phase electric arc furnace. Graphite electrodes are used to convert electrical energy into heat via phase electric arcs. Con-stant arc length is desirable as it implies steady energy transfer from the graphite electrodes to the metallic charge in the furnace bath. With the charge level constantly changing, the electrodes must be able to adjust for the arc length to remain constant. A fuzzy PI controller tuned with genetic algorithms has been developed to be responsible for the ver-tical adjustment of the electrode tip displacement according to specified set-points to ensure that the arc lengths remain as constant as possible. The simulation results show that the system performances are satisfactory using the proposed method.展开更多
N-doped activated carbon(AC)was employed in a three-dimensional electrode system(3DES)to enhance the removal of sulfur-containing volatile organic compounds(S-VOC).The technical parameters for preparing N-doped AC wer...N-doped activated carbon(AC)was employed in a three-dimensional electrode system(3DES)to enhance the removal of sulfur-containing volatile organic compounds(S-VOC).The technical parameters for preparing N-doped AC were optimized based on CS_(2)removal and COS accumulation,where the mass ratio of AC to urea was 1:1.0,and the activation temperature and heat-treatment time were 400℃and 120 min,respectively.When the mixing S-VOC were purified under an operating voltage of 8 V and peroxydisulfate concentration of 0.15 mol/L,CS_(2)removal in the 3DES system with N-doped AC reached 100%within 75 min,and was above 83%as purification time extended to 200 min.Additionally,the COS content in the outlet gas was usually undetectable within 120 min,and was lower than that in the other electrochemical systems.Modification of raw AC through urea impregnation and subsequent heat treatment significantly improved its surface structure and pore size distribution.Moreover,polar functional groups,such as C=O and pyridinic-N,increased noticeably,enhancing the SVOC adsorption capacity and dielectric properties.Consequently,highly reactive substances were more efficiently activated in 3DES system with N-doped AC,and oxidizing species HO·and^(1)O_(2)had important contributions to S-VOC purification compared to SO_(4)^(-)·radicals.A pathway was proposed to elucidate the transformation of sulfur-containing components,such as CH3SH and CS_(2).This study provides an efficient approach for S-VOC purification.展开更多
In order to address the current inability of screen printing to monitor printing pressure online,an online printing pressure monitoring system applied to screen printing machines was designed in this study.In this stu...In order to address the current inability of screen printing to monitor printing pressure online,an online printing pressure monitoring system applied to screen printing machines was designed in this study.In this study,the consistency of printed electrodes was measured by using a confocal microscope and the pressure distribution detected by online pressure monitoring system was compared to investigate the relationship.The results demonstrated the relationship between printing pressure and the consistency of printed electrodes.As printing pressure increases,the ink layer at the corresponding position becomes thicker and that higher printing pressure enhances the consistency of the printed electrodes.The experiment confirms the feasibility of the online pressure monitoring system,which aids in predicting and controlling the consistency of printed electrodes,thereby improving their performance.展开更多
An all-solid-state ion-selective electrode(ISE)for the detection of potassium ions in complex media was developed based on functional peptides with both antibacterial and antifouling properties.While exhibiting unique...An all-solid-state ion-selective electrode(ISE)for the detection of potassium ions in complex media was developed based on functional peptides with both antibacterial and antifouling properties.While exhibiting unique antifouling property,the ISE capitalized on the high surface area of the conductive metalorganic framework(MOF)solid transducer layer to facilitate rapid ion-electron transfer,consequently improving the electrode stability.For a short period,the application of a±1 n A current to the ISE resulted in a slight potential drift of 2.5μV/s,while for a long-term stability test,the ISE maintained a stable Nernstian response slope over 8 days.The antifouling and antibacterial peptide effectively eradicated bacteria from the electrode surface while inhibited the adhesion of bacteria and other biological organisms.Both theoretical calculations and experimental results indicated that the incorporation of peptides in the sensing membrane did not compromise the detection performance of the ISE.The prepared antifouling potassium ion-selective electrode exhibited a Nernstian response range spanning from 1.0×10^(–8)mol/L to 1.0×10–3mol/L,with a detection limit of 2.51 nmol/L.Crucially,the prepared solid-contact ISE maintained excellent antifouling and sensing capabilities in actual seawater and human urine,indicating a promising feasibility of this strategy for constructing ISEs suitable for practical application in complex systems.展开更多
Vanadium redox flow batteries(VRFBs)are a means of large-scale energy storage due to their excellent scalability,safety,long cycling life,and decoupled power and energy capacities.However,the slow redox kinetics of va...Vanadium redox flow batteries(VRFBs)are a means of large-scale energy storage due to their excellent scalability,safety,long cycling life,and decoupled power and energy capacities.However,the slow redox kinetics of vanadium species on conventional carbon electrodes remains a major limitation to their performance.We investigated the deposition of carbon black,carbon nanotubes,and electrochemically exfoliated graphene(Exf-Gr)onto thermally-activated carbon paper(ACP)by spray coating to increase the electrode electrocatalytic activity.The modified electrodes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction,Raman spectroscopy,X-ray photoelectron microscopy,and surface area analysis,while their electrochemical properties were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry,electrochemical impedance spectroscopy,and singlecell VRFB testing.Among the modified electrodes,Exf-Gr/ACP had the best performance,achieving a 2.9-fold reduction in charge transfer resistance compared to pristine ACP and delivering 2.5 times the discharge capacity in single-cell tests.This improvement is attributed to Exf-Gr’s high surface area,favorable catalytic activity,and excellent dispersion on the ACP substrate.Surface modification with electrochemically exfoliated graphene is a highly effective strategy for improving the electrode performance in VRFB systems,with significant implications for large-scale energy storage.展开更多
The development of shape-customizable and bulk flexible electrochemical devices through processing technologies as versatile as those used for plastics promises to revolutionize the future of battery technology.Howeve...The development of shape-customizable and bulk flexible electrochemical devices through processing technologies as versatile as those used for plastics promises to revolutionize the future of battery technology.However,this pursuit has been fundamentally hindered by the absence of transformative battery materials capable of delivering the necessary electrochemical functions,robust interface adhesion,and,crucially,the suitable rheological properties required for on-demand shaping.In this work,we introduce a concept of a multifunctional plasticine electrode matrix(PEM)featuring nano-interpenetrating networks(nano-IPN)to address this challenge.Utilizing the nonflammable liquid-electrolyte hydration combined with conductive nanomaterials,we have realized a PEM in the form of a multifunctional nanocomposite that integrates ion and electron conduction,component binding,non-flammability,and plasticine-like moldability.With this PEM,we have successfully fabricated a variety of bulk-flexible electrodes with high mass loading of active material(AM)(>70 wt%)using industry-friendly extrusion and compression molding techniques.Moreover,these high AM-loading composite electrodes achieve an unparalleled bulk conformability and flexibility,remaining structurally intact even under severe mechanical stress.Ultimately,we have successfully produced shape-patternable and flexible batteries via extrusion molding.This study underscores the potential of the PEM to revolutionize battery microstructures,interfaces,manufacturing processes,and performance characteristics.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the spatial gradient of intraoperative impedance across the cochlear electrode array in pediatric cochlear implant recipients and assess its potential as a physiological indicator for the elec...Objective:To investigate the spatial gradient of intraoperative impedance across the cochlear electrode array in pediatric cochlear implant recipients and assess its potential as a physiological indicator for the electrode-neural interface.Methods:A prospective observational study involving 56 pediatric patients underwent cochlear implantation with Cochlear Nucleus devices.Intraoperative polarized impedance and electrically evoked compound action potential(ECAP)threshold were recorded across all 1232 electrodes using AutoNRT software.Eight electrodes with open-or short-circuit were excluded,leaving 1,224 for analysis.Impedance values were categorized by cochlear region(basal,middle,apical),and electrodes with elevated impedance(10-20 kΩ)were analyzed for regional distribution and clinical relevance.Data were analyzed for spatial patterns and correlation with the ECAP threshold profiles.Results:A consistent basal-to-apical increase in impedance was observed(7.7±1.9,9.2±1.4,10.8±1.5 kΩ;p<0.001).Impedance and ECAP threshold were weakly correlated(ρ=-0.20,p<0.001;β=-1.26,p<0.001),with a positive association in the apical region(ρ=0.12,p=0.048).Electrodes with higher impedance(1020 kΩ)were less likely to show elevated or absent TNRT(OR=0.175,p=0.02).The impedance gradient persisted across age groups and was significantly correlated with ECAP threshold patterns.Conclusion:Intraoperative impedance monitoring reveals a strong and physiologically consistent gradient,with higher values in apical electrodes.This gradient reflects anatomical and tissue interface variations,which may offer a valuable physiological indicator for intraoperative electrode positioning and neural interface integrity.展开更多
Thermocells are garnering increasing attention as a promising thermoelectric technology for harvesting low-grade heat.However,their performance is often limited by the scarcity of high-performance redox couples that p...Thermocells are garnering increasing attention as a promising thermoelectric technology for harvesting low-grade heat.However,their performance is often limited by the scarcity of high-performance redox couples that possess both high thermopower and rapid redox kinetics.This work addresses this challenge by leveraging our recently developed copper(Ⅰ/Ⅱ)(Cu^(+)/Cu^(2+))redox couple.We significantly enhance the performance of Cu-based liquid thermocells by integrating a thermosensitive crystallization process with etched carbon cloth electrodes,achieving synergistic improvements in thermodynamic and kinetic performance.The thermosensitive crystallization process establishes a persistent Cu^(2+)concentration gradient,boosting the thermopower from 1.47 to 2.93 mV K^(-1).Moreover,the etched carbon cloth electrodes provide a larger electroactive surface area and demonstrate a higher current density.Consequently,the optimized Cu^(+)/Cu^(2+)system achieved an exceptional normalized power density P_(max)(ΔT)^(-2)of 3.97 mW m^(-2)K^(-2).A thermocell module comprised of 20 cells directly power various electronic devices at a temperature difference of 40 K.This work successfully exhibits potential of Cu^(+)/Cu^(2+)redox couple in thermoelectric conversion and introduces a valuable redox couple for highperformance thermocells.展开更多
Ceramic cells promise ideal energy conversion and storage devices,making the development of efficient and robust air electrodes crucial for their application.In this study,a Ba_(0.4)Sr_(0.5)Cs_(0.1)Co_(0.7)Fe_(0.2)Nb_...Ceramic cells promise ideal energy conversion and storage devices,making the development of efficient and robust air electrodes crucial for their application.In this study,a Ba_(0.4)Sr_(0.5)Cs_(0.1)Co_(0.7)Fe_(0.2)Nb_(0.1)O_(3−δ)(BSCCFN)air electrode,based on Ba_(0.5)Sr_(0.5)Co_(0.8)Fe_(0.2)O_(3−δ)(BSCF),is designed using a perovskite A-B-site ionic Lewis acid strength(ISA)polarization distribution strategy and is successfully applied in both oxygen-ion conducting solid oxide fuel cells(O-SOFCs)and proton-conducting reversible protonic ceramic cells(R-PCCs).When BSCCFN is used as the air electrode in O-SOFCs,a peak power density(PPD)of 1.45 W cm^(−2)is achieved at 650°C,whereas in R-PCCs,a PPD of 1.13 W cm^(−2)and a current density of−1.8 A cm^(−2)at 1.3 V are achieved at the same temperature and show stable reversibility over 100 h.Experimental measurements and theoretical calculations demonstrate that low-ISA Cs+doping accelerates the reaction kinetics of both oxygen ions and protons,while high-ISA Nb^(5+)doping enhances electrode stability.The synergistic effect of Cs^(+)and Nb^(5+)co-doping in the BSCCFN electrode lies in the ISA polarization distribution,which weakens the Co/Fe–O bond covalency,thereby promoting oxygen vacancy formation and facilitating the conduction of oxygen ions and protons.展开更多
To enhance the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion battery anodes with higher silicon content,it is essential to engineer their microstructure for better lithium-ion transport and mitigated volume change as wel...To enhance the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion battery anodes with higher silicon content,it is essential to engineer their microstructure for better lithium-ion transport and mitigated volume change as well.Herein,we suggest an effective approach to control the micropore structure of silicon oxide(SiO_(x))/artificial graphite(AG)composite electrodes using a perforated current collector.The electrode features a unique pore structure,where alternating high-porosity domains and low-porosity domains markedly reduce overall electrode resistance,leading to a 20%improvement in rate capability at a 5C-rate discharge condition.Using microstructure-resolved modeling and simulations,we demonstrate that the patterned micropore structure enhances lithium-ion transport,mitigating the electrolyte concentration gradient of lithium-ion.Additionally,perforating current collector with a chemical etching process increases the number of hydrogen bonding sites and enlarges the interface with the SiO_(x)/AG composite electrode,significantly improving adhesion strength.This,in turn,suppresses mechanical degradation and leads to a 50%higher capacity retention.Thus,regularly arranged micropore structure enabled by the perforated current collector successfully improves both rate capability and cycle life in SiO_(x)/AG composite electrodes,providing valuable insights into electrode engineering.展开更多
Economical,stable,and corrosion-resistant catalytic electrodes are still urgently needed for the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)in water and seawater.Herein,a mild electroless plating strategy is used to achieve large-...Economical,stable,and corrosion-resistant catalytic electrodes are still urgently needed for the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)in water and seawater.Herein,a mild electroless plating strategy is used to achieve large-scale preparation of the“integrated”phosphorus-based precatalyst(FeP-NiP)on nickel foam(NF),which is in situ reconstructed into a highly active and corrosion-resistant(Fe)NiOOH phase for OER.The interaction between phosphate anions(PO_(x)^(y-))and iron ions(Fe^(3+))tunes the electronic structure of the catalytic phase to further enhance OER kinetics.The integrated FeP-NiP@NF electrode exhibits low overpotentials for OER in alkaline water/seawater,requiring only 275/289,320/336,and 349/358 mV to reach 0.1,0.5,and 1.0 A cm^(−2),respectively.The in situ reconstructed PO_(x)^(y-)anion electrostatically repels Cl−in seawater electrolytes,allowing stable operation for over 7 days at 1.0 A cm^(−2) in extreme electrolytes(1.0 M KOH+seawater and 6.0 M KOH+seawater),demonstrating industrial-level stability.This study overcomes the complex synthesis limitations of P-based materials through innovative material design,opening new avenues for electrochemical energy conversion.展开更多
Hydrogen(H2)production is a latent feasibility of renewable clean energy.The industrial H2 production is obtained from reforming of natural gas,which consumes a large amount of nonrenewable energy and simultaneously p...Hydrogen(H2)production is a latent feasibility of renewable clean energy.The industrial H2 production is obtained from reforming of natural gas,which consumes a large amount of nonrenewable energy and simultaneously produces greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.Electrochemical water splitting is a promising approach for the H2 production,which is sustainable and pollution-free.Therefore,developing efficient and economic technologies for electrochemical water splitting has been an important goal for researchers around the world.The utilization of green energy systems to reduce overall energy consumption is more important for H2 production.Harvesting and converting energy from the environment by different green energy systems for water splitting can efficiently decrease the external power consumption.A variety of green energy systems for efficient producing H2,such as two-electrode electrolysis of water,water splitting driven by photoelectrode devices,solar cells,thermoelectric devices,triboelectric nanogenerator,pyroelectric device or electrochemical water-gas shift device,have been developed recently.In this review,some notable progress made in the different green energy cells for water splitting is discussed in detail.We hoped this review can guide people to pay more attention to the development of green energy system to generate pollution-free H2 energy,which will realize the whole process of H2 production with low cost,pollution-free and energy sustainability conversion.展开更多
The three-dimensional particle electrode system exhibits significant potential for application in the treatment of wastewater.Nonetheless,the advancement of effective granular electrodes characterized by elevated cata...The three-dimensional particle electrode system exhibits significant potential for application in the treatment of wastewater.Nonetheless,the advancement of effective granular electrodes characterized by elevated catalytic activity and minimal energy consumption continues to pose a significant challenge.In this research,Fluorine-doped copper-carbon(F/Cu-GAC)particle electrodes were effectively synthesized through an impregnationcalcination technique,utilizing granular activated carbon as the carrier and fluorinedoped modified copper oxides as the catalytic agents.The particle electrodes were subsequently utilized to promote the degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol(2,4,6-TCP)in a threedimensional electrocatalytic reactor(3DER).The F/Cu-GAC particle electrodes were polarized under the action of electric field,which promoted the heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction in which H2O2 generated by two-electron oxygen reduction reaction(2e-ORR)of O_(2) was catalytically decomposed to·OH.The 3DER equipped with F/Cu-GAC particle electrodes showed 100%removal of 2,4,6-TCP and 79.24%removal of TOC with a specific energy consumption(EC)of approximately 0.019 kWh/g·COD after 2 h of operation.The F/Cu-GAC particle electrodes exhibited an overpotential of 0.38 V and an electrochemically active surface area(ECSA)of 715 cm^(2),as determined through linear sweep voltammetry(LSV)and cyclic voltammetry(CV)assessments.These findings suggest a high level of electrocatalytic performance.Furthermore,the catalytic mechanism of the 3DER equipped with F/Cu-GAC particle electrodes was elucidated through the application of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),electron spin resonance(ESR),and active species capture experiments.This investigation offers a novel approach for the effective degradation of 2,4,6-TCP.展开更多
Aiming at the improvement of the cyclic stability of La-Mg-Ni system （PuNi3-type） hydrogen storage alloy, Ni in the alloy was partly substituted by Fe. The electrode alloys of La0.7Mg0.3Co0.45Ni255-xFex （x=0, 0.1, ...Aiming at the improvement of the cyclic stability of La-Mg-Ni system （PuNi3-type） hydrogen storage alloy, Ni in the alloy was partly substituted by Fe. The electrode alloys of La0.7Mg0.3Co0.45Ni255-xFex （x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4） were prepared by casting and rapid quenching. The influence of the quenching on cyclic stability as well as structure of the alloys was investigated in detail. The results of electrochemical measurement indicated that rapid quenching significantly improved cyclic stability. When the quenching rate rose from 0 （As-cast was defined as a quenching rate of 0 m/s） to 30 m/s, the cyclic life of Fe-free alloy （x=-0） increased from 81 to 105 cycles, and for alloy containing Fe（x=0.4）, it grew from 106 to 166 cycles at a current density of 600 mA/g. The results obtained by XRD, TEM and SEM revealed that the as-cast and quenched alloys had multiphase structures, including two major phases （La, Mg）Ni3 and LaNi5 as well as an imptLrity phase LaNi2. Rapid quenching helped the formation of an amorphous-like structure in Fe containing alloys.展开更多
Redox behavior of midazolam was studied at a glassy carbon electrode in various buffer systems,supporting electrolytes and pH using differential paise,square-wave and cyclic voltammetry.Based on its reduction behavior...Redox behavior of midazolam was studied at a glassy carbon electrode in various buffer systems,supporting electrolytes and pH using differential paise,square-wave and cyclic voltammetry.Based on its reduction behavior,a direct differential pulse voltammetric method has been developed and validated for the determination of midazolam in parenteral dosage.Three welldefined peaks were observed in 0.1％ SLS,Britton-Robinson (BR) buffer of pH 2.5.The effect of surfaetants like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS),cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and Tween 20 was studied.Among these surfactants SLS showed significant enhancement in reduction peak.The cathodic peak currents were directly proportional to the concentration of midazolam with correlation coetfficient of 0.99.展开更多
Taking three-phase electrode adjusting system of submerged arc furnace as study object which has nonlinear, time-variant, multivariable and strong coupling features, a neural adaptive PSD(proportion, sum and different...Taking three-phase electrode adjusting system of submerged arc furnace as study object which has nonlinear, time-variant, multivariable and strong coupling features, a neural adaptive PSD(proportion, sum and differential) dispersive decoupling controller was developed by combining neural adaptive PSD algorithm with dispersive decoupling network. In this work, the production technology process and control difficulties of submerged arc furnace were simply introduced, the necessity of establishing a neural adaptive PSD dispersive decoupling controller was discussed, the design method and the implementation steps of the controller are expounded in detail, and the block diagram of the controlled system is presented. By comparison with experimental results of the conventional PID controller and the adaptive PSD controller, the decoupling ability, adaptive ability, self-learning ability and robustness of the neural adaptive PSD dispersive decoupling controller have been testified effectively. The controller is applicable to the three-phase electrode adjusting system of submerged arc furnace, and it will play an important role for achieving the power balance of three-phrase electrodes, saving energy and reducing consumption in the process of smelting.展开更多
In electric are furnace smelting, electrode regulator system is a key link. A good electrode control algorithm will reduce energy consumption effectively and shorten smelting time greatly. The offline design online sy...In electric are furnace smelting, electrode regulator system is a key link. A good electrode control algorithm will reduce energy consumption effectively and shorten smelting time greatly. The offline design online synthesis model predictive control algorithm is proposed for electrode regulator system with input and output constraints. On the offline computation, the continuum of terminal constraint sets will be constructed. On the online synthesis, the time-varying terminal constraint sets will be adopted and at least one free control variable will be introduced to solve the min-max optimization control problem. Then Lyapunov method will be adopted to analyze closed-loop system stability. Simulation and field trial results show that the proposed offline design online synthesis model predictive control method is effective.展开更多
In order to improve the electrochemical cycle stability of La-Mg-Ni system (PuNi3-type) hydrogen storage alloy, Ni in the alloys was partially substituted by M (M=Cu, Al, Mn). A new La-Mg-Ni system electrode alloys La...In order to improve the electrochemical cycle stability of La-Mg-Ni system (PuNi3-type) hydrogen storage alloy, Ni in the alloys was partially substituted by M (M=Cu, Al, Mn). A new La-Mg-Ni system electrode alloys La0.7Mg0.3Ni2.55-xCo0.45Mx (M=Cu, Al, Mn; x=0, 0.1) were prepared by casting and rapid quenching. The effects of element substitution and rapid quenching on the microstructures and electrochemical performances of the alloys were investigated. The results by XRD, SEM and TEM show that the alloys have a multiphase structure, including the (La, Mg)Ni3 phase, the LaNi5 phase and the LaNi2 phase. The rapid quenching and element substitution have an imperceptible influence on the phase compositions of the alloys, but both change the phase abundance of the alloys. The rapid quenching significantly improves the composition homogeneity of the alloys and markedly decreases the grain size of the alloys. The Cu substitution promotes the formation of an amorphous phase in the as-quenched alloy, and a reversal result by the Al substitution. The electrochemical measurement indicates that the element substitution decreases the discharge capacity of the alloys, whereas it obviously improves the cycle stability of the alloys. The positive influence of element substitution on the cycle life of the alloys is in sequence Al>Cu>Mn, and negative influence on the discharge capacity is in sequence Al>Mn>Cu. The rapid quenching significantly enhances the cycle stability of the alloys, but it leads to a different extent decrease of the discharge capacity of the alloys.展开更多
基金Projects(2007AA04Z194, 2007AA041401) supported by the National High-Tech Research and Development Program of China
文摘To simulate the process of electrode operation, a dynamic model describing the electrode system of three-phase electric arc furnace was developed. This new model can be divided into three submodels in terms of the practical situation. They are the power supply system model the electric arc model and the hydraulic actuator system model. According to the basic circuit theory, the power supply system model where the high voltage transmission circuit and mutual inductances were considered, was set up. The electric arc model, which was novel for the electrode control, served as the electrical load and was connected to the power supply system model. The hydraulic actuator system model consists of the proportional valve part that is modeled to capture the dead-zone nonlinear characteristics and the hydraulic cylinder part where the impact of the load force is taken into account. By comparing simulation data and actual data, the results show that the electrode system model is proved to be accurate.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.20777053)
文摘A study on the electrochemical disinfection with H202 generated at the gas diffusion electrode （GDE） from active carbon/poly- tetrafluoroethylene was performed in a non-membrane cell. The effects of Pt load and the pore-forming agent content in GDE, and operating conditions were investigated. The experimental results showed that nearly all bacterial cultures inoculated in the secondary effluent from wastewater treatment plant could be inactivated within 30 min at a current density of 10 mA/cm^2. The disinfection improved with increasing Pt load. Addition of the pore-forming agent NH4HCO3 improved the disinfection, while a drop in the pH value resulted in a rapid rise of germicidal efficacy and the disinfection time was shortened with increasing oxygen flow rate. Adsorption was proved to be ineffective in destroying bacteria, while germicidal efficacy increased with current density. The acceleration rate was different, it initially increased with current density. Then decreased, and finally reached a maximum at a current density of 6.7 mA/cm^2. The disinfection also improved with decreasing total bacterial count. The germicidal efficacy in the cathode compartment was approximately the same as in the anode compartment, indicating that the contribution of direct oxidation and the indirect treatment of bacterial cultures by hydroxyl radical was similar to the oxidative indirect effect of the generated H2O2.
文摘This paper presents a new application of a genetic-fuzzy control system which controls the input energy to a three phase electric arc furnace. Graphite electrodes are used to convert electrical energy into heat via phase electric arcs. Con-stant arc length is desirable as it implies steady energy transfer from the graphite electrodes to the metallic charge in the furnace bath. With the charge level constantly changing, the electrodes must be able to adjust for the arc length to remain constant. A fuzzy PI controller tuned with genetic algorithms has been developed to be responsible for the ver-tical adjustment of the electrode tip displacement according to specified set-points to ensure that the arc lengths remain as constant as possible. The simulation results show that the system performances are satisfactory using the proposed method.
基金financially supported by the the Reserve Talents of Young and Middle-aged Academic and Technical Leaders in Yunnan Province,China(No.202105AC160096).
文摘N-doped activated carbon(AC)was employed in a three-dimensional electrode system(3DES)to enhance the removal of sulfur-containing volatile organic compounds(S-VOC).The technical parameters for preparing N-doped AC were optimized based on CS_(2)removal and COS accumulation,where the mass ratio of AC to urea was 1:1.0,and the activation temperature and heat-treatment time were 400℃and 120 min,respectively.When the mixing S-VOC were purified under an operating voltage of 8 V and peroxydisulfate concentration of 0.15 mol/L,CS_(2)removal in the 3DES system with N-doped AC reached 100%within 75 min,and was above 83%as purification time extended to 200 min.Additionally,the COS content in the outlet gas was usually undetectable within 120 min,and was lower than that in the other electrochemical systems.Modification of raw AC through urea impregnation and subsequent heat treatment significantly improved its surface structure and pore size distribution.Moreover,polar functional groups,such as C=O and pyridinic-N,increased noticeably,enhancing the SVOC adsorption capacity and dielectric properties.Consequently,highly reactive substances were more efficiently activated in 3DES system with N-doped AC,and oxidizing species HO·and^(1)O_(2)had important contributions to S-VOC purification compared to SO_(4)^(-)·radicals.A pathway was proposed to elucidate the transformation of sulfur-containing components,such as CH3SH and CS_(2).This study provides an efficient approach for S-VOC purification.
文摘In order to address the current inability of screen printing to monitor printing pressure online,an online printing pressure monitoring system applied to screen printing machines was designed in this study.In this study,the consistency of printed electrodes was measured by using a confocal microscope and the pressure distribution detected by online pressure monitoring system was compared to investigate the relationship.The results demonstrated the relationship between printing pressure and the consistency of printed electrodes.As printing pressure increases,the ink layer at the corresponding position becomes thicker and that higher printing pressure enhances the consistency of the printed electrodes.The experiment confirms the feasibility of the online pressure monitoring system,which aids in predicting and controlling the consistency of printed electrodes,thereby improving their performance.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.22174082,22374085)the Key Research and Development Program of Shandong Province(No.2021ZDSYS30)Qingdao Postdoctoral Innovation Project Funding(No.QDBSH20220201038)。
文摘An all-solid-state ion-selective electrode(ISE)for the detection of potassium ions in complex media was developed based on functional peptides with both antibacterial and antifouling properties.While exhibiting unique antifouling property,the ISE capitalized on the high surface area of the conductive metalorganic framework(MOF)solid transducer layer to facilitate rapid ion-electron transfer,consequently improving the electrode stability.For a short period,the application of a±1 n A current to the ISE resulted in a slight potential drift of 2.5μV/s,while for a long-term stability test,the ISE maintained a stable Nernstian response slope over 8 days.The antifouling and antibacterial peptide effectively eradicated bacteria from the electrode surface while inhibited the adhesion of bacteria and other biological organisms.Both theoretical calculations and experimental results indicated that the incorporation of peptides in the sensing membrane did not compromise the detection performance of the ISE.The prepared antifouling potassium ion-selective electrode exhibited a Nernstian response range spanning from 1.0×10^(–8)mol/L to 1.0×10–3mol/L,with a detection limit of 2.51 nmol/L.Crucially,the prepared solid-contact ISE maintained excellent antifouling and sensing capabilities in actual seawater and human urine,indicating a promising feasibility of this strategy for constructing ISEs suitable for practical application in complex systems.
基金supported by the University of Seoul’s 2025 Research Fund.
文摘Vanadium redox flow batteries(VRFBs)are a means of large-scale energy storage due to their excellent scalability,safety,long cycling life,and decoupled power and energy capacities.However,the slow redox kinetics of vanadium species on conventional carbon electrodes remains a major limitation to their performance.We investigated the deposition of carbon black,carbon nanotubes,and electrochemically exfoliated graphene(Exf-Gr)onto thermally-activated carbon paper(ACP)by spray coating to increase the electrode electrocatalytic activity.The modified electrodes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction,Raman spectroscopy,X-ray photoelectron microscopy,and surface area analysis,while their electrochemical properties were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry,electrochemical impedance spectroscopy,and singlecell VRFB testing.Among the modified electrodes,Exf-Gr/ACP had the best performance,achieving a 2.9-fold reduction in charge transfer resistance compared to pristine ACP and delivering 2.5 times the discharge capacity in single-cell tests.This improvement is attributed to Exf-Gr’s high surface area,favorable catalytic activity,and excellent dispersion on the ACP substrate.Surface modification with electrochemically exfoliated graphene is a highly effective strategy for improving the electrode performance in VRFB systems,with significant implications for large-scale energy storage.
基金financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52473248,52203123,52125301,22279070 and U21A20170)the State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering(Grant No:sklpme 2023-1-05 and sklpme 2024-2-04)+3 种基金the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No.2019YFA0705703)the Sichuan Science and Technology Program(2023NSFSC0991 and 2025ZNSFSC1411)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universitiespartially sponsored by the Double First-Class Construction Funds of Sichuan University.
文摘The development of shape-customizable and bulk flexible electrochemical devices through processing technologies as versatile as those used for plastics promises to revolutionize the future of battery technology.However,this pursuit has been fundamentally hindered by the absence of transformative battery materials capable of delivering the necessary electrochemical functions,robust interface adhesion,and,crucially,the suitable rheological properties required for on-demand shaping.In this work,we introduce a concept of a multifunctional plasticine electrode matrix(PEM)featuring nano-interpenetrating networks(nano-IPN)to address this challenge.Utilizing the nonflammable liquid-electrolyte hydration combined with conductive nanomaterials,we have realized a PEM in the form of a multifunctional nanocomposite that integrates ion and electron conduction,component binding,non-flammability,and plasticine-like moldability.With this PEM,we have successfully fabricated a variety of bulk-flexible electrodes with high mass loading of active material(AM)(>70 wt%)using industry-friendly extrusion and compression molding techniques.Moreover,these high AM-loading composite electrodes achieve an unparalleled bulk conformability and flexibility,remaining structurally intact even under severe mechanical stress.Ultimately,we have successfully produced shape-patternable and flexible batteries via extrusion molding.This study underscores the potential of the PEM to revolutionize battery microstructures,interfaces,manufacturing processes,and performance characteristics.
文摘Objective:To investigate the spatial gradient of intraoperative impedance across the cochlear electrode array in pediatric cochlear implant recipients and assess its potential as a physiological indicator for the electrode-neural interface.Methods:A prospective observational study involving 56 pediatric patients underwent cochlear implantation with Cochlear Nucleus devices.Intraoperative polarized impedance and electrically evoked compound action potential(ECAP)threshold were recorded across all 1232 electrodes using AutoNRT software.Eight electrodes with open-or short-circuit were excluded,leaving 1,224 for analysis.Impedance values were categorized by cochlear region(basal,middle,apical),and electrodes with elevated impedance(10-20 kΩ)were analyzed for regional distribution and clinical relevance.Data were analyzed for spatial patterns and correlation with the ECAP threshold profiles.Results:A consistent basal-to-apical increase in impedance was observed(7.7±1.9,9.2±1.4,10.8±1.5 kΩ;p<0.001).Impedance and ECAP threshold were weakly correlated(ρ=-0.20,p<0.001;β=-1.26,p<0.001),with a positive association in the apical region(ρ=0.12,p=0.048).Electrodes with higher impedance(1020 kΩ)were less likely to show elevated or absent TNRT(OR=0.175,p=0.02).The impedance gradient persisted across age groups and was significantly correlated with ECAP threshold patterns.Conclusion:Intraoperative impedance monitoring reveals a strong and physiologically consistent gradient,with higher values in apical electrodes.This gradient reflects anatomical and tissue interface variations,which may offer a valuable physiological indicator for intraoperative electrode positioning and neural interface integrity.
基金financially supported by research grants from Innovative Research Group Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China(52021004)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFB3803300)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62474026,62205140,12204071)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2022M710532)。
文摘Thermocells are garnering increasing attention as a promising thermoelectric technology for harvesting low-grade heat.However,their performance is often limited by the scarcity of high-performance redox couples that possess both high thermopower and rapid redox kinetics.This work addresses this challenge by leveraging our recently developed copper(Ⅰ/Ⅱ)(Cu^(+)/Cu^(2+))redox couple.We significantly enhance the performance of Cu-based liquid thermocells by integrating a thermosensitive crystallization process with etched carbon cloth electrodes,achieving synergistic improvements in thermodynamic and kinetic performance.The thermosensitive crystallization process establishes a persistent Cu^(2+)concentration gradient,boosting the thermopower from 1.47 to 2.93 mV K^(-1).Moreover,the etched carbon cloth electrodes provide a larger electroactive surface area and demonstrate a higher current density.Consequently,the optimized Cu^(+)/Cu^(2+)system achieved an exceptional normalized power density P_(max)(ΔT)^(-2)of 3.97 mW m^(-2)K^(-2).A thermocell module comprised of 20 cells directly power various electronic devices at a temperature difference of 40 K.This work successfully exhibits potential of Cu^(+)/Cu^(2+)redox couple in thermoelectric conversion and introduces a valuable redox couple for highperformance thermocells.
基金funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Award 91745203) supplemented by Central Universities’ Basic Research Funds.
文摘Ceramic cells promise ideal energy conversion and storage devices,making the development of efficient and robust air electrodes crucial for their application.In this study,a Ba_(0.4)Sr_(0.5)Cs_(0.1)Co_(0.7)Fe_(0.2)Nb_(0.1)O_(3−δ)(BSCCFN)air electrode,based on Ba_(0.5)Sr_(0.5)Co_(0.8)Fe_(0.2)O_(3−δ)(BSCF),is designed using a perovskite A-B-site ionic Lewis acid strength(ISA)polarization distribution strategy and is successfully applied in both oxygen-ion conducting solid oxide fuel cells(O-SOFCs)and proton-conducting reversible protonic ceramic cells(R-PCCs).When BSCCFN is used as the air electrode in O-SOFCs,a peak power density(PPD)of 1.45 W cm^(−2)is achieved at 650°C,whereas in R-PCCs,a PPD of 1.13 W cm^(−2)and a current density of−1.8 A cm^(−2)at 1.3 V are achieved at the same temperature and show stable reversibility over 100 h.Experimental measurements and theoretical calculations demonstrate that low-ISA Cs+doping accelerates the reaction kinetics of both oxygen ions and protons,while high-ISA Nb^(5+)doping enhances electrode stability.The synergistic effect of Cs^(+)and Nb^(5+)co-doping in the BSCCFN electrode lies in the ISA polarization distribution,which weakens the Co/Fe–O bond covalency,thereby promoting oxygen vacancy formation and facilitating the conduction of oxygen ions and protons.
基金supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)grant funded by the Korean government(MSIT)(No.NRF-2021M3H4A1A02048529)the Ministry of Trade,Industry and Energy(MOTIE)of the Korean government under grant No.RS-2022-00155854support from the DGIST Supercomputing and Big Data Center.
文摘To enhance the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion battery anodes with higher silicon content,it is essential to engineer their microstructure for better lithium-ion transport and mitigated volume change as well.Herein,we suggest an effective approach to control the micropore structure of silicon oxide(SiO_(x))/artificial graphite(AG)composite electrodes using a perforated current collector.The electrode features a unique pore structure,where alternating high-porosity domains and low-porosity domains markedly reduce overall electrode resistance,leading to a 20%improvement in rate capability at a 5C-rate discharge condition.Using microstructure-resolved modeling and simulations,we demonstrate that the patterned micropore structure enhances lithium-ion transport,mitigating the electrolyte concentration gradient of lithium-ion.Additionally,perforating current collector with a chemical etching process increases the number of hydrogen bonding sites and enlarges the interface with the SiO_(x)/AG composite electrode,significantly improving adhesion strength.This,in turn,suppresses mechanical degradation and leads to a 50%higher capacity retention.Thus,regularly arranged micropore structure enabled by the perforated current collector successfully improves both rate capability and cycle life in SiO_(x)/AG composite electrodes,providing valuable insights into electrode engineering.
基金funding support from Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai(Grant No.23ZR1443900)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.22178309,22476131 and 22176127)。
文摘Economical,stable,and corrosion-resistant catalytic electrodes are still urgently needed for the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)in water and seawater.Herein,a mild electroless plating strategy is used to achieve large-scale preparation of the“integrated”phosphorus-based precatalyst(FeP-NiP)on nickel foam(NF),which is in situ reconstructed into a highly active and corrosion-resistant(Fe)NiOOH phase for OER.The interaction between phosphate anions(PO_(x)^(y-))and iron ions(Fe^(3+))tunes the electronic structure of the catalytic phase to further enhance OER kinetics.The integrated FeP-NiP@NF electrode exhibits low overpotentials for OER in alkaline water/seawater,requiring only 275/289,320/336,and 349/358 mV to reach 0.1,0.5,and 1.0 A cm^(−2),respectively.The in situ reconstructed PO_(x)^(y-)anion electrostatically repels Cl−in seawater electrolytes,allowing stable operation for over 7 days at 1.0 A cm^(−2) in extreme electrolytes(1.0 M KOH+seawater and 6.0 M KOH+seawater),demonstrating industrial-level stability.This study overcomes the complex synthesis limitations of P-based materials through innovative material design,opening new avenues for electrochemical energy conversion.
基金supported by Taishan Scholars Project Special Funds(tsqn201812083)Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(ZR2019YQ20,2019JMRH0410)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51972147)。
文摘Hydrogen(H2)production is a latent feasibility of renewable clean energy.The industrial H2 production is obtained from reforming of natural gas,which consumes a large amount of nonrenewable energy and simultaneously produces greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.Electrochemical water splitting is a promising approach for the H2 production,which is sustainable and pollution-free.Therefore,developing efficient and economic technologies for electrochemical water splitting has been an important goal for researchers around the world.The utilization of green energy systems to reduce overall energy consumption is more important for H2 production.Harvesting and converting energy from the environment by different green energy systems for water splitting can efficiently decrease the external power consumption.A variety of green energy systems for efficient producing H2,such as two-electrode electrolysis of water,water splitting driven by photoelectrode devices,solar cells,thermoelectric devices,triboelectric nanogenerator,pyroelectric device or electrochemical water-gas shift device,have been developed recently.In this review,some notable progress made in the different green energy cells for water splitting is discussed in detail.We hoped this review can guide people to pay more attention to the development of green energy system to generate pollution-free H2 energy,which will realize the whole process of H2 production with low cost,pollution-free and energy sustainability conversion.
基金supported by Guangxi Science and Technology Major Program(No.AA23073008)Hubei Key Laboratory of Water System Science for Sponge City Construction(Wuhan University)(No.2023–05)Nanning Innovation and Entrepreneur Leading Talent Project(No.2021001).
文摘The three-dimensional particle electrode system exhibits significant potential for application in the treatment of wastewater.Nonetheless,the advancement of effective granular electrodes characterized by elevated catalytic activity and minimal energy consumption continues to pose a significant challenge.In this research,Fluorine-doped copper-carbon(F/Cu-GAC)particle electrodes were effectively synthesized through an impregnationcalcination technique,utilizing granular activated carbon as the carrier and fluorinedoped modified copper oxides as the catalytic agents.The particle electrodes were subsequently utilized to promote the degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol(2,4,6-TCP)in a threedimensional electrocatalytic reactor(3DER).The F/Cu-GAC particle electrodes were polarized under the action of electric field,which promoted the heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction in which H2O2 generated by two-electron oxygen reduction reaction(2e-ORR)of O_(2) was catalytically decomposed to·OH.The 3DER equipped with F/Cu-GAC particle electrodes showed 100%removal of 2,4,6-TCP and 79.24%removal of TOC with a specific energy consumption(EC)of approximately 0.019 kWh/g·COD after 2 h of operation.The F/Cu-GAC particle electrodes exhibited an overpotential of 0.38 V and an electrochemically active surface area(ECSA)of 715 cm^(2),as determined through linear sweep voltammetry(LSV)and cyclic voltammetry(CV)assessments.These findings suggest a high level of electrocatalytic performance.Furthermore,the catalytic mechanism of the 3DER equipped with F/Cu-GAC particle electrodes was elucidated through the application of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),electron spin resonance(ESR),and active species capture experiments.This investigation offers a novel approach for the effective degradation of 2,4,6-TCP.
基金863 Program (2006AA05Z132)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (50642033)+1 种基金Natural Science Founda-tion of Inner Mongolia, China (200711020703)Science and Technology Planned Project of Inner Mongolia, China (20050205)
文摘Aiming at the improvement of the cyclic stability of La-Mg-Ni system （PuNi3-type） hydrogen storage alloy, Ni in the alloy was partly substituted by Fe. The electrode alloys of La0.7Mg0.3Co0.45Ni255-xFex （x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4） were prepared by casting and rapid quenching. The influence of the quenching on cyclic stability as well as structure of the alloys was investigated in detail. The results of electrochemical measurement indicated that rapid quenching significantly improved cyclic stability. When the quenching rate rose from 0 （As-cast was defined as a quenching rate of 0 m/s） to 30 m/s, the cyclic life of Fe-free alloy （x=-0） increased from 81 to 105 cycles, and for alloy containing Fe（x=0.4）, it grew from 106 to 166 cycles at a current density of 600 mA/g. The results obtained by XRD, TEM and SEM revealed that the as-cast and quenched alloys had multiphase structures, including two major phases （La, Mg）Ni3 and LaNi5 as well as an imptLrity phase LaNi2. Rapid quenching helped the formation of an amorphous-like structure in Fe containing alloys.
文摘Redox behavior of midazolam was studied at a glassy carbon electrode in various buffer systems,supporting electrolytes and pH using differential paise,square-wave and cyclic voltammetry.Based on its reduction behavior,a direct differential pulse voltammetric method has been developed and validated for the determination of midazolam in parenteral dosage.Three welldefined peaks were observed in 0.1％ SLS,Britton-Robinson (BR) buffer of pH 2.5.The effect of surfaetants like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS),cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and Tween 20 was studied.Among these surfactants SLS showed significant enhancement in reduction peak.The cathodic peak currents were directly proportional to the concentration of midazolam with correlation coetfficient of 0.99.
基金Project(61174132) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProject(09JJ6098) supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province, China
文摘Taking three-phase electrode adjusting system of submerged arc furnace as study object which has nonlinear, time-variant, multivariable and strong coupling features, a neural adaptive PSD(proportion, sum and differential) dispersive decoupling controller was developed by combining neural adaptive PSD algorithm with dispersive decoupling network. In this work, the production technology process and control difficulties of submerged arc furnace were simply introduced, the necessity of establishing a neural adaptive PSD dispersive decoupling controller was discussed, the design method and the implementation steps of the controller are expounded in detail, and the block diagram of the controlled system is presented. By comparison with experimental results of the conventional PID controller and the adaptive PSD controller, the decoupling ability, adaptive ability, self-learning ability and robustness of the neural adaptive PSD dispersive decoupling controller have been testified effectively. The controller is applicable to the three-phase electrode adjusting system of submerged arc furnace, and it will play an important role for achieving the power balance of three-phrase electrodes, saving energy and reducing consumption in the process of smelting.
基金Item Sponsored by National Science and Technology Support Plan of China (2007AA041401,2007AA04Z194)
文摘In electric are furnace smelting, electrode regulator system is a key link. A good electrode control algorithm will reduce energy consumption effectively and shorten smelting time greatly. The offline design online synthesis model predictive control algorithm is proposed for electrode regulator system with input and output constraints. On the offline computation, the continuum of terminal constraint sets will be constructed. On the online synthesis, the time-varying terminal constraint sets will be adopted and at least one free control variable will be introduced to solve the min-max optimization control problem. Then Lyapunov method will be adopted to analyze closed-loop system stability. Simulation and field trial results show that the proposed offline design online synthesis model predictive control method is effective.
基金This work was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China ( No.50131040)Science and Technology Planned Project of Inner Mongolia, China ( No.20050205)Higher Education Science Research Project ofInner Mongolia, China (No.NJ05064)
文摘In order to improve the electrochemical cycle stability of La-Mg-Ni system (PuNi3-type) hydrogen storage alloy, Ni in the alloys was partially substituted by M (M=Cu, Al, Mn). A new La-Mg-Ni system electrode alloys La0.7Mg0.3Ni2.55-xCo0.45Mx (M=Cu, Al, Mn; x=0, 0.1) were prepared by casting and rapid quenching. The effects of element substitution and rapid quenching on the microstructures and electrochemical performances of the alloys were investigated. The results by XRD, SEM and TEM show that the alloys have a multiphase structure, including the (La, Mg)Ni3 phase, the LaNi5 phase and the LaNi2 phase. The rapid quenching and element substitution have an imperceptible influence on the phase compositions of the alloys, but both change the phase abundance of the alloys. The rapid quenching significantly improves the composition homogeneity of the alloys and markedly decreases the grain size of the alloys. The Cu substitution promotes the formation of an amorphous phase in the as-quenched alloy, and a reversal result by the Al substitution. The electrochemical measurement indicates that the element substitution decreases the discharge capacity of the alloys, whereas it obviously improves the cycle stability of the alloys. The positive influence of element substitution on the cycle life of the alloys is in sequence Al>Cu>Mn, and negative influence on the discharge capacity is in sequence Al>Mn>Cu. The rapid quenching significantly enhances the cycle stability of the alloys, but it leads to a different extent decrease of the discharge capacity of the alloys.
