Overcoming Anode Instability in Solid-State Batteries through Control of the Lithium Metal Microstructure

Enabling the lithium metal anode (LMA) in solid-state batteries (SSBs) is the key to developing high energy density battery technologies. However, maintaining a stable electrode–electrolyte interface presents a critical challenge to high cycling rate and prolonged cycle life. One such issue is the interfacial pore formation in LMA during stripping. To overcome this, either higher stack pressure or binary lithium alloy anodes are used. Herein, it is shown that fine-grained (d = 20 µm) polycrystalline LMA can avoid pore formation by exploiting the microstructural dependence of the creep rates. In a symmetric cell set-up, i.e., LiǀLi_6.25Al_0.25La₃Zr₂O₁₂(LLZO)ǀLi, fine-grained LMA achieves > 11.0 mAh cm⁻² compared to ≈ 3.6 mAh cm⁻² for coarse-grained LMA (d = 295 µm) at 0.1 mA cm⁻² and at moderate stress of 2.0 MPa. Smaller diffusion lengths (≈ 20 µm) and higher diffusivity pathway along dislocations (D_d ≈ 10⁻⁷ cm² s⁻¹), generated during cell fabrication, result in enhanced viscoplastic deformation in fine-grained polycrystalline LMA. The electrochemical performances corroborate well with estimated creep rates. Thus, microstructural control of LMA can significantly reduce the required stack pressure during stripping. These results are particularly relevant for “anode-free” SSBs wherein both the microstructure and the mechanical state of the lithium are critical parameters.     

Experimental investigation of impact of diesel particulate filter on smoke and NO<Subscript>x</Subscript> emissions of a Euro-I compression ignition engine with active and off-board regeneration

Old engines (Euro III or earlier) produce more emissions, and it will be difficult to entirely stop their usage especially in developing and under-developed nations; hence, it is desired that appropriate emission reduction technologies are tested on such engines to analyze their feasibility and economical acceptability. While most such studies have been conducted on constant speed stationary engines and modern engines, this study tried to analyze the effectiveness of an uncoated wall-flow type ceramic diesel particulate filter on a Euro-I, water-cooled, direct injection, variable speed, compression ignition engine in a laboratory set-up in India. Also, this study focused on diesel particulate filter regeneration by two methods: active regeneration by diesel injection in the particulate filter using an electronic control unit and off-board regeneration by taking out and heating the diesel particulate filter in an electrical resistance furnace at 650 °C for 10 h. The results, in the form of smoke emission, NO_x emission and engine performance, obtained using both the regeneration methods were analyzed, and conclusions were drawn. It was found that using diesel particulate filter, particulate matter emissions (smoke) were almost entirely eliminated. It was also found that off-board regeneration had numerous advantages compared to active regeneration. Since a furnace would be needed for off-board regeneration, an exchange process for diesel particulate filter is suggested.     

An explicit predictor-corrector solver with application to seismic wave modelling

Wave-equation-based forward modelling using explicit finite-difference methods is a standard technique for calculating synthetic seismograms. The stability criterion restricts the size of the time step. In this paper a predictor–corrector method for solving the wave equation is described which allows the use of a larger time step. A stability analysis of the method is also carried out. Parallel implementation of the algorithm is described for a distributed computing environment which makes use of MPI and PVM message passing calls for communication between processors.     

Iron-Doped,Mullite-Impregnated PVDF Composite: An Alternative Separator for a High Charge Storage Ceramic Capacitor

In this communication, the formation mechanism of the electroactive β phase, morphology and the dielectric activities of increasing doping concentration (0–1.2 M.W % of mullite) of Fe²⁺ ion-doped, mullite-impregnated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposite have been investigated. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) confirms the formation of an electroactive β phase, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that the β phase increases simultaneously and attains the maximum increment of 2.6 times compared to pristine PVDF. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra also agreed well with the β-phase increment behaviour and also confirmed the presence of required mullite phases. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images indicate the strong interaction between the polymer matrix and different concentrations of Fe²⁺ ion-doped mullite particles, resulting in enhanced electroactive β phase formation and large dielectric constant of the nanocomposite films followed by significant low dielectric loss with high ac conductivity compared to pristine PVDF films at room temperature. This doped polymer composite can be used as a high dielectric separator and, using this separator, we have successfully fabricated a high-charge-storage device. This paper also demonstrates that the loading of conductive Fe²⁺ ions within the highly insulating mullite matrix has a critical concentration for the enhancement and nucleation of the electroactive β phase of the PVDF polymer. In this critical concentration, the highest formation of a β network and maximum numbers of homogeneously distributed iron-doped mullite (FeM) particles in PVDF matrix improves the effective interfacial polarization by Maxwell–Wagner–Sillar (MWS) polarization effect which is responsible for the enhancement of dielectric constant and ac conductivity followed by significant tangent loss. So, it can be concluded that the incorporation of Fe²⁺-doped mullite into PVDF matrix is an effective way to fabricate a high dielectric separator of high-charge-storage electronic devices.     

Assessment of groundwater depletion–induced land subsidence and characterisation of damaging cracks on houses: a case study in Mohali-Chandigarh area,India

Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment - The present study identified groundwater depletion–induced land subsidence by spaceborne differential interferometric SAR (DInSAR)...     

Microstructural Characterization of Cermet Cladding Developed Through Microwave Irradiation

In the present work, cladding of hardfacing WC10Co2Ni powder on austenitic stainless steel has been developed through a novel processing technique. The clads were developed using microwave hybrid heating. The clad of average thickness ~2?mm has been developed through the exposure of microwave radiation at frequency 2.45?GHz and power 900?W for the duration of 360?s. The developed clads were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope, X-ray elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, and measurement of Vicker??s microhardness. The microstructure study of the clad showed good metallurgical bonding with substrate and revealed that clads are free from any visible interface cracking. Clads were formed with partial dilution of a thin layer of the substrate. The cermet microstructure mainly consists of relatively soft metallic matrix phase and uniformly distributed hard carbide phase with skeleton-like structure. The developed clads exhibit an average microhardness of 1064?±?99?Hv. The porosity of developed clad has been significantly less at approximately 0.89%.     

A testbed for performance evaluation of load‐balancing strategies for Web server systems

To improve response time of a Web site, one replicates the site on multiple servers. The effectiveness of a replicated server system will depend on how the incoming requests are distributed among replicas. A large number of load‐balancing strategies for Web server systems have been proposed. In this paper we describe a testbed that can be used to evaluate the performance of different load‐balancing strategies. The testbed uses a general architecture which allows different load‐balancing approaches to be supported easily. It emulates a typical World Wide Web scenario and allows variable load generation and performance measurement. We have performed some preliminary experiments to measure the performance of a few policies for load balancing using this testbed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synergistic effect of some antiscalants as corrosion inhibitor for industrial cooling water system

In order to study synergistic effect, various combinations of antiscalants 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP), sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP), sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), and trisodium phosphate (TSP), were investigated as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel. Corrosion rate and percentage inhibition efficiency of various combinations of antiscalants as corrosion inhibitors (20/80, 40/60, 60/40, 50/50, 80/20, and 100 ppm of different combinations of HEDP, SHMP, STPP, and TSP) in synthetic cooling water VI (692 ppm of Cl⁻ ions) was determined by weight loss, electrochemical polarization technique, and metallurgical microscopy technique. It was observed that a 50/50 ppm combination of HEDP and SHMP gave 98% corrosion inhibition efficiency and maximum synergistic effect. The percentage inhibition efficiency of HEDP when mixed with other antiscalants as corrosion inhibitors at 50/50 ppm concentration was found in the following order HEDP/SHMP > HEDP/STPP > HEDP/TSP. The synergistic effect of HEDP/SHMP combination is due to intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the molecules of HEDP and SHMP, which results in the adsorption of uniform multilayered two-dimensional film of –HEDP–SHMP– molecules on carbon steel surface.     

On processing of Ni-WC based functionally graded composite clads through microwave heating

Present study focuses on the development of four layered functionally graded clads (FGC) of Ni-WC based composite material on AISI 304 substrate through microwave heating route. Experimental trials were conducted inside a microwave applicator of domestic type at frequency range of 2.45?GHz. The optimal exposure time of 900?W microwave power was varied with compositional gradient and it was from 300 to 360?s. The mechanism of FGC formation through microwave heating was explained and developed FGC was subjected to mechanical and microstructure characterizations. The results of micro-structural analysis revealed that the FGC of ～1.8?mm thickness was produced and was free from any type of interfacial cracks and visible porosity. It was observed that WC particles were randomly dispersed in the nickel matrix. XRD study revealed the formation of inter-metallics, such as NiW₄, NiSi, and Cr₂₃C₆. Maximum value of microhardness was observed in the top FGC layer and was 880?±?30?HV.     

Land surface deformation parameter estimation using persistent scatterer interferometry approach in an underground metal mining environment

Persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI) is a major advancement in radar interferometry for detecting and monitoring land deformation. PSI is the most advanced class of differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DInSAR) techniques. The technique conquers the main drawbacks of the conventional DInSAR technique by identifying radar targets having stable backscattering characteristics in time. These targets are termed as persistent scatterers (PSs). The higher the number of PSs for a study area the higher the accuracy of the results will be, which is most common for deformation analysis in urban areas. However, for non-urban or highly de-correlated areas, PSs density collapses significantly, which needs to increase for optimal results. For this purpose, partially coherent/distributed scatterers (DSs) are being exploited in addition to the PSs. The field surface of this study is one of the copper-rich mining belts in India, which consists of two major underground metal mines. Scatterer characterziation of the field surface under study suggests that most of the scatterers are DSs and very few scatterers under the influence of the mining zone are PSs. In addition to this, a preliminary investigation of deformation characteristics of the field surface under study reveals that the spatial extent of deformation is small/localized along with slow and non-linear deformation. Keeping in view scatterer and deformation characteristics of the field surface under study, in this research paper, a Quasi-Persistent Scatterer based PSI approach has been applied using high-resolution TerraSAR-X interferometric data stack (10 images) to generate deformation time series and deformation velocity. Furthermore, results obtained from the applied PSI approach and ground-based observations (using GNSS) have shown good agreement with each other, in the order of ?5.20?mm/year (LOS) and ?5.38?mm/year (subsiding), respectively.