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1998

Chemical Engineering

Articles 1 - 13 of 13

Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Chromium Oxides And Lithiated Chromium Oxides. Promising Cathode Materials For Secondary Lithium Batteries, Pankaj Arora, Dong Zhang, Branko N. Popov, Ralph E. White Jan 1998

Chromium Oxides And Lithiated Chromium Oxides. Promising Cathode Materials For Secondary Lithium Batteries, Pankaj Arora, Dong Zhang, Branko N. Popov, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

Chromium oxides and lithiated chromium oxides were synthesized by thermal decomposition of chromium trioxide (CrO3) at high temperatures and oxygen pressures. Synthesis temperature and pressure markedly affect the performance of these cathode materials. Higher pressures lead to a higher O/Cr ratio and fewer impurities in the final product. These materials are stable intercalation hosts for lithium, and exhibit a higher capacity than any of the prominent positive electrodes used in secondary lithium batteries. m-CrOx has a capacity of 255 mAh/g, while m-LiCrOx has a capacity of 210 mAh/g, during the first discharge. The average voltage of these cells is 3.0 …


Proton Diffusion In Nickel Hydroxide: Prediction Of Active Material Utilization, Sathya Motupally, Christopher C. Streinz, John W. Weidner Jan 1998

Proton Diffusion In Nickel Hydroxide: Prediction Of Active Material Utilization, Sathya Motupally, Christopher C. Streinz, John W. Weidner

Faculty Publications

Galvanostatic charge and discharge experiments reveal that the active material in nickel electrodes cannot be fully accessed at high currents or for thick films. It has been proposed that the utilization of the active material is controlled by the diffusion rate of protons through the film. This hypothesis is supported by the good agreement between mathematical simulations of material utilization and experimental data over a range of charge and discharge currents and film thicknesses. Furthermore, the fraction of material utilized is larger on charge than on discharge. The asymmetry on charge and discharge is due to a diffusion coefficient that …


The Role Of Oxygen At The Second Discharge Plateau Of Nickel Hydroxide, Sathya Motupally, Mukul Jain, Venkat Srinivasan, John W. Weidner Jan 1998

The Role Of Oxygen At The Second Discharge Plateau Of Nickel Hydroxide, Sathya Motupally, Mukul Jain, Venkat Srinivasan, John W. Weidner

Faculty Publications

It was shown that the appearance of a secondary discharge plateau approximately 400 mV below the primary plateau can result from the reduction of oxygen. During the galvanostatic discharge of planar nickel-hydroxide films at room temperature and in 3 weight percent KOH solutions, the second discharge plateau was observed only in the presence of dissolved oxygen in the electrolyte. When the solution was deoxygenated, no residual capacity could be extracted from the films even at low discharge rates or from overcharged films. In addition, the duration of the second plateau is inversely proportional to the square of the discharge current, …


Steady-State Modeling Of A Parallel-Plate Electrochemical Fluorination Reactor, Kamal Jha, Gerald L. Bauer, John W. Weidner Jan 1998

Steady-State Modeling Of A Parallel-Plate Electrochemical Fluorination Reactor, Kamal Jha, Gerald L. Bauer, John W. Weidner

Faculty Publications

A steady-state mathematical model of a parallel-plate reactor was developed for studying the electrochemical fluorination of organic compounds dissolved in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride. The model incorporates two-phase flow with differential material, energy, and pressure balances. Profiles of temperature, pressure, vapor volume fraction, and current density in the reactor are presented at two inlet temperatures to provide insight into the operation of the reactor. The effects of the inlet temperature, feed flow rate, and cell current on the cell pack voltage and current efficiency of the reactor are presented to determine problematic operating regions for the reactor. Optimum operating currents based …


Electrochemical Investigations Of Cobalt-Doped Limn2O4 As Cathode Material For Lithium-Ion Batteries, P. Arora, Branko Popov, Ralph E. White Jan 1998

Electrochemical Investigations Of Cobalt-Doped Limn2O4 As Cathode Material For Lithium-Ion Batteries, P. Arora, Branko Popov, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

A wide range (y = 0.05–0.33) of Co-doped LiCoyMn2–yO4 spinels were synthesized and electrochemically characterized. These Co-doped spinels showed improved specific capacity and capacity retention over pure spinels. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the linear polarization resistance technique were used to determine the transport and electrochemical kinetic parameters of Co-doped spinels. The presence of Co in the spinel inhibits the passivation process occurring on the surface of the cathode. Also, Co increases the exchange current density and facilitates the charge-transfer reaction of the active material. The lower self-discharge observed for Co-doped spinels was attributed …


Characterization Of Hydrogen Permeation Through Zinc-Nickel Alloys Under Corroding Conditions: Mathematical Model And Experimental Study, M. Ramasubramanian, Branko N. Popov, Ralph E. White Jan 1998

Characterization Of Hydrogen Permeation Through Zinc-Nickel Alloys Under Corroding Conditions: Mathematical Model And Experimental Study, M. Ramasubramanian, Branko N. Popov, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

A mathematical model was developed for the characterization of hydrogen permeation into metals and alloys under corroding conditions. The model requires a knowledge of the corrosion rate of the given metal or alloy in solutions of various H+ concentrations. It provides quantitative values of rate constants of the hydrogen discharge, recombination, and adsorption reactions. This model can serve as a diagnostic criterion for determining the effectiveness of various metals and alloys as hydrogen permeation inhibitors and can be used for evaluation of hydrogen entry inhibition efficiency. Experiments were carried out to study the effectiveness of thin layers of electrodeposited …


Characterization Of Sol-Gel-Derived Cobalt Oxide Xerogels As Electrochemical Capacitors, Chuan Lin, James A. Ritter, Branko N. Popov Jan 1998

Characterization Of Sol-Gel-Derived Cobalt Oxide Xerogels As Electrochemical Capacitors, Chuan Lin, James A. Ritter, Branko N. Popov

Faculty Publications

Very fine cobalt oxide xerogel powders were prepared using a unique solution chemistry associated with the sol-gel process. The effect of thermal treatment on the surface area, pore volume, crystallinity, particle structure, and corresponding electrochemical properties of the resulting xerogels was investigated and found to have significant effects on all of these properties. The xerogel remained amorphous as Co(OH)2 up to 160°C, and exhibited maxima in both the surface area and pore volume at this temperature. With an increase in the temperature above 200°C, both the surface area and pore volume decreased sharply, because the amorphous Co(OH)2 decomposed …


Studies On Electroless Cobalt Coatings For Microencapsulation Of Hydrogen Storage Alloys, Bala S. Haran, Branko N. Popov, Ralph E. White Jan 1998

Studies On Electroless Cobalt Coatings For Microencapsulation Of Hydrogen Storage Alloys, Bala S. Haran, Branko N. Popov, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

LaNi4.27Sn0.24 alloy was microencapsulated with cobalt by electroless deposition from an alkaline hypophosphite bath. Discharge curves of the encapsulated alloy indicate an additional contribution to the capacity arising from the cobalt on the surface. Studies on cobalt thin films reveal the presence of adsorbed hydrogen in cobalt. The amount of hydrogen adsorbed was observed to increase with time of cathodic polarization and to reach a maximum. Polarization techniques have been used to characterize the cobalt-plated alloy as a function of state of charge. The equilibrium potential of the microencapsulated electrode at low hydrogen concentration is determined by …


Theoretical Analysis Of Metal Hydride Electrodes: Studies On Equilibrium Potential And Exchange Current Density, Bala S. Haran, Branko N. Popov, Ralph E. White Jan 1998

Theoretical Analysis Of Metal Hydride Electrodes: Studies On Equilibrium Potential And Exchange Current Density, Bala S. Haran, Branko N. Popov, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

A theoretical model for the metal hydride electrode has been developed assuming that hydrogen diffusion in the alloy and charge-transfer at the surface control the discharge process. Theoretical equations for the dependence of equilibrium potential and exchange current density on the surface hydrogen concentration have been derived. These parameters have been used to correlate experimental data with the theoretical electrode discharge model. Analysis of both the experimental and theoretical discharge curves reveals a potential plateau determined by the magnitude of the interactions between the hydrogen in the alloy and the unhydrided metal. Neglecting these hydrogen-metal site interactions results in simulations …


Chromium Oxides And Lithiated Chromium Oxides. Promising Cathode Materials For Secondary Lithium Batteries, Pankaj Arora, Dong Zhang, Branko N. Popov, Ralph E. White Jan 1998

Chromium Oxides And Lithiated Chromium Oxides. Promising Cathode Materials For Secondary Lithium Batteries, Pankaj Arora, Dong Zhang, Branko N. Popov, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

Chromium oxides and lithiated chromium oxides were synthesized by thermal decomposition of chromium trioxide (CrO3) at high temperatures and oxygen pressures. Synthesis temperature and pressure markedly affect the performance of these cathode materials. Higher pressures lead to a higher O/Cr ratio and fewer impurities in the final product. These materials are stable intercalation hosts for lithium, and exhibit a higher capacity than any of the prominent positive electrodes used in secondary lithium batteries. m-CrOx has a capacity of 255 mAh/g, while m-LiCrOx has a capacity of 210 mAh/g, during the first discharge. The average …


Chromium Oxides And Lithiated Chromium Oxides. Promising Cathode Materials For Secondary Lithium Batteries, Pankaj Arora, Dong Zhang, Branko N. Popov, Ralph E. White Jan 1998

Chromium Oxides And Lithiated Chromium Oxides. Promising Cathode Materials For Secondary Lithium Batteries, Pankaj Arora, Dong Zhang, Branko N. Popov, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

Chromium oxides and lithiated chromium oxides were synthesized by thermal decomposition of chromium trioxide (CrO3) at high temperatures and oxygen pressures. Synthesis temperature and pressure markedly affect the performance of these cathode materials. Higher pressures lead to a higher O/Cr ratio and fewer impurities in the final product. These materials are stable intercalation hosts for lithium, and exhibit a higher capacity than any of the prominent positive electrodes used in secondary lithium batteries. m-CrOx has a capacity of 255 mAh/g, while m-LiCrOx has a capacity of 210 mAh/g, during the first discharge. The average …


The Effect Of Particle Size On The Discharge Performance Of A Nickel-Metal Hydride Cell, Jussi M. Heikonen, Harry J. Ploehn, Ralph E. White Jan 1998

The Effect Of Particle Size On The Discharge Performance Of A Nickel-Metal Hydride Cell, Jussi M. Heikonen, Harry J. Ploehn, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

We investigate the effect of particle size on the discharge performance of a nickel-metal hydride cell with a mathematical model. Electrodes with uniform as well as with nonuniform particle sizes are studied. With uniform particle size, the dependence of the particle-to-particle resistance on the particle size is taken into account. The optimal particle size depends on the discharge rate. Moreover, we show that under certain conditions it is advantageous to use a nonuniform particle size. In general, the higher the discharge current density, the more the particle size affects the electrode performance.


Measurement Of Thin Liquid Film Drainage Using A Novel High-Speed Impedance Analyzer, Kevin O. Hool, Robert C. Saunders, Harry J. Ploehn Jan 1998

Measurement Of Thin Liquid Film Drainage Using A Novel High-Speed Impedance Analyzer, Kevin O. Hool, Robert C. Saunders, Harry J. Ploehn

Faculty Publications

This work describes the design and implementation of a new instrument, called the thin film impedance analyzer, which measures the rate of drainage of thin oil films. The instrument forms an oil film by elevating a planar oil–water interface into a water drop hanging from a stainless steel capillary tube immersed in the oil. The instrument measures the magnitude of the impedance of the matter between the capillary tube and a screen electrode immersed in the lower water phase. Under appropriate conditions, the capacitance of the oil film dominates the impedance. The instrument records the increase in the magnitude of …