Engineering Commons^™

Microscopic And Spectroscopic Studies Of Thermally Enhanced Electrospun Pmma Micro- And Nanofibers, Sean Pelfrey, Travis Cantu, Michael R. Papantonakis, Duane L. Simonson, R. Andrew Mcgill, Javier Macossay-Torres

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Chemistry)

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) have been incorporated into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) through electrospinning. The resulting micro- and nanofibers have been characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), which confirmed fiber formation and demonstrated a core-sheath structure of the PMMA fibers. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) was used to obtain the thermal properties of the materials, indicating an enhancement in the thermal properties of the composite fibers. In addition, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was utilized to investigate the interactions of PMMA micro- and nanofibers with CNFs, demonstrating the preferred sites of intermolecular interactions between the polymer matrix and the filler.

Multiharmonic Frequency Tracking Method Using The Sigma-Point Kalman Smoother, Sunghan Kim, Anindya S. Paul, Eric A. Wan, James Mcnames

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Several groups have proposed the state-space approach to tracking time-varying frequencies of multiharmonic quasiperiodic signals. The extended Kalman filter/smoother (EKF/EKS) is one of the common frequency tracking approaches seen in the literature. We introduce a multiharmonic frequency tracker based on the forward-backward statistical linearized Sigma-Point Kalman smoother (FBSL-SPKS) and compare its performance to that of the extended Kalman smoother (EKS). In all cases the FBSL-SPKS tracker outperformed the EKS tracker over a wide range of signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios. We also demonstrate its superior performance on real signals.

Shift Estimation Algorithm For Dynamic Sensors With Frame-To-Frame Variation In Their Spectral Response, Todd M. Giles, Majeed M. Hayat, Sanjay Krishna

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This study is motivated by the emergence of a new class of tunable infrared spectral-imaging sensors that offer the ability to dynamically vary the sensor's intrinsic spectral response from frame to frame in an electronically controlled fashion. A manifestation of this is when a sequence of dissimilar spectral responses is periodically realized, whereby in every period of acquired imagery, each frame is associated with a distinct spectral band. Traditional scene-based global shift estimation algorithms are not applicable to such spectrally heterogeneous video sequences, as a pixel value may change from frame to frame as a result of both global motion …

A Self-Organizing Neural Architecture Integrating Desire, Intention And Reinforcement Learning, Ah-Hwee Tan, Yu-Hong Feng, Yew-Soon Ong

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper presents a self-organizing neural architecture that integrates the features of belief, desire, and intention (BDI) systems with reinforcement learning. Based on fusion Adaptive Resonance Theory (fusion ART), the proposed architecture provides a unified treatment for both intentional and reactive cognitive functionalities. Operating with a sense-act-learn paradigm, the low level reactive module is a fusion ART network that learns action and value policies across the sensory, motor, and feedback channels. During performance, the actions executed by the reactive module are tracked by a high level intention module (also a fusion ART network) that learns to associate sequences of actions …

Automated Nanocrystal Orientation And Phase Mapping In The Transmission Electron Microscope On The Basis Of Precession Electron Diffraction, Edgar F. Rauch, Joaquin Portillo, Stavros Nicolopoulos, Daniel Bultreys, Sergei Rouvimov, Peter Moeck

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

An automated technique for the mapping of nanocrystal phases and orientations in a transmission electron microscope is described. It is primarily based on the projected reciprocal lattice geometry that is extracted from electron diffraction spot patterns. Precession electron diffraction patterns are especially useful for this purpose. The required hardware allows for a scanning-precession movement of the primary electron beam on the crystalline sample and can be interfaced to any older or newer mid-voltage transmission electron microscope (TEM). Experimentally obtained crystal phase and orientation maps are shown for a variety of samples. Comprehensive commercial and open-access crystallographic databases may be used …

Ct Energy Weighting In The Presence Of Scatter And Limited Energy Resolution, Taly Gilat Schmidt

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: Energy-resolved CT has the potential to improve the contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR) through optimal weighting of photonsdetected in energy bins. In general, optimal weighting gives higher weight to the lower energy photons that contain the most contrast information. However, low-energy photons are generally most corrupted by scatter and spectrum tailing, an effect caused by the limited energy resolution of the detector. This article first quantifies the effects of spectrum tailing on energy-resolved data, which may also be beneficial for material decomposition applications. Subsequently, the combined effects of energy weighting, spectrum tailing, and scatter are investigated through simulations.

Methods: The study first …

Bidirectional Electrowetting Actuation With Voltage Polarity Dependence, Nathan B. Crane, Alex A. Volinsky, Pradeep Mishra, Ajay Rajgadkar, Mehdi Khodayari

Faculty Publications

This work presents an electrowetting system in which the actuation direction depends on the polarity of the applied voltage. Since electrowetting response depends on the voltage squared, it is typically independent of voltage sign to first order. However, the introduction of an electrochemicaal diode into the equivalent electrical circuit permits polarity-dependent behavior. Electrochemical diodes were created by making holes in the dielectric. The aluminum electrodes passivate and prevent current flow in one direction, creating diode-like behavior with high breakdown voltage. The resulting actuation forces were directly measured and are of comparable magnitude for both actuation directions.

Note: Thermal Analog To Atomic Force Microscopy Force-Displacement Measurements For Nanoscale Interfacial Contact Resistance, Brian D. Iverson, John E. Blendell, Suresh V. Garimella

Faculty Publications

Thermal diffusion measurements on polymethylmethacrylate-coated Si substrates using heated atomic force microscopy tips were performed to determine the contact resistance between an organic thin film and Si. The measurement methodology presented demonstrates how the thermal contrast signal obtained during a force-displacement ramp is used to quantify the resistance to heat transfer through an internal interface. The results also delineate the interrogation thickness beyond which thermal diffusion in the organic thin film is not affected appreciably by the underlying substrate.

Multidisciplinary Considerations In The Design Of Wings And Wing Tip Devices, Andrew Ning, Ilan Kroo

Faculty Publications

Conceptual wing design analysis methods are combined with numerical optimization to find minimum drag wings subject to constraints on lift, weight, pitching moment, and stall speed. Tip extensions and winglets designed for minimum drag achieve similar performance, with the optimal solution depending on the ratio of the maneuver lift coecient to the cruise lift coecient. The results highlight the importance of accounting for the depth of the wing structural box in the weight model, and including constraints on stall speed. For tailless aircraft, C-wings show a slight performance advantage over wings with winglets when longitudinal trim and stability constraints are …

Self-Activating Safety Mechanisms For Li-Ion Batteries, Xin-Ping Ai, Yu-Liang Cao, Han-Xi Yang

Journal of Electrochemistry

The safety concerns of LIBs are considered to be a main obstacle to their high rate or large capacity applications in electric vehicles.This paper describes briefly our research works on the development of self-activating safety mechanisms for LIBs,including redox shuttle,potential-sensitive separator,temperature-sensitive electrode,and fire-retardent electrolyte.The problems and future in this research area are also discussed.

Effects Of Different Carbon Sources On Performance Of Li3V2(Po4)3/C Composite Cathode Materials, Kai-Yuan Liu, Jian-Shu Huang, Li Yang

Journal of Electrochemistry

The monoclinic Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ cathode materials were prepared by carbothermal reduction method,with methyl cellulose, chitosan(crab shells) or glucose anhydrous as carbon sources, respectively.The crystal structures, morphologies and the electrochemical performances were characterized by XRD, SEM and electrochemical measurement. The XRD patterns show that the samples obtained at 800 ℃ for 6 h have a pure monoclinic structure,which indicates that the carbon exists in amorphous phase. Electrochemical measurements show that the difference of carbon sources has a significant influence on the electrochemical properties of the materials. The Li₃V₂(PO₄)_{3 …}

Performance Of Sulfur-Super Conductive Carbon Black Composite In Electrolyte Mixed With Room Temperature Ionic Liquid, Bo Zhang, Si-Ting Chen, Xue-Ping Gao

Journal of Electrochemistry

The sulfur-super conductive carbon black composite was prepared as cathode material of lithium/sulfur battery.The composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS).The sulfur composite shows a high discharge capacity and a good cycle performance in electrolyte mixed with 50% of room temperature ionic liquid.In particular,the discharge capacity of the composite was stabilized at 483.6 mAh/g after 50 cycles.

Applications Of Block Copolymer Films In The Field Of Electrochemical Energy Systems, Jing-Ze Li, Guo-Guang Chen, Di Mei, Wei Zou, Jian-Wen Li, Motonori Komura, Tomokazu Iyoda

Journal of Electrochemistry

A new series of amphiphilic liquid crystalline block copolymer thin films,having normally aligned and highly ordered nanocylinder array,were functionalized as anisotropic ion conducting materials by selectively infiltration.These ion-active nanocylinders are coaxially aligned and hexagonally arranged in a large area,which might be used as novel types of electrolyte films for electrochemical energy systems such as lithium ion battery,fuel cell,etc.Since the ordered cylinders can carry on and store the ions,the block copolymer films can be utilized as the advanced template to fabricate the ordered array of nanoporous,nanoparticles,and nanowires for the potential application in lithium ion battery as three dimensional electrode materials.

Preparation And Characterizations Of Li3V2(Po4)3 Cathode Material For Lithium Ion Batteries, Hong Chen, Tao Jiang, Chun-Zhong Wang, Gang Chen, Ying-Jin Wei

Journal of Electrochemistry

The carbon-coated Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ was prepared by carbothermal reduction method.The structural and morphological properties of the material were studied by X-ray diffraction,FTIR and transmission electron microscopy.The synthesized material was a pure phase of Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃,with the particle size of about 100 nm.The values of Li ion diffusion coefficient of the material in the potential window of 3.0 ～ 4.3 V were nearly 3 orders larger than those in 3.0 ～ 4.8 V.In addition,the charge-transfer resistances in 3.0 ～ 4.3 V were much smaller than those in 3.0 …

Investigation Of Ceo2 As Cathode Electrocatalyst For Direct Borohydride Fuel Cell, Xue-Min Ni, Ya-Dong Wang, Mu Pan

Journal of Electrochemistry

The performance of CeO₂ as oxygen reduction electrocatalyst in direct borohydride fuel cell was investigated.The experimental results indicate that CeO₂ shows significant electrocatalytic performance for oxygen reduction and exhibits no observed promotion effect on hydrolysis or electro-oxidation of BH₄^-.The power density of experimental one-compartment fuel cell with CeO₂ as cathode electrocatalyst can reach a 67.8 mW·cm^-2 at room temperature.

Preparation And Electrochemical Behavior Of Li4Ti5O12 Nanosheets As Anode Material For Lithium Ion Battery, Yi-Fei Wang, Yu-Feng Tang, Zheng Qiu, Li Yang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Spinel lithium titanate(Li₄Ti₅O₁₂) nanosheets with a size range of 200 ～400 nm were synthesized by hydrothermal process from the amorphous hydrous titanium oxide precursors.The as-prepared products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).The electrochemical behaviors of Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ electrode in conventional organic electrolyte and ionic liquid electrolyte were investigated by using cyclic voltammetry,galvanostatic charge-discharge and AC impedance techniques.The experimental results indicate that the as-prepared nanostructured Li₄Ti₅O₁₂,evaluated as anode material,exhibited good reversibility and cycle performance.It is expected to be a …

Synthesis Of High-Performance Lini1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 Cathode Materials Via Azeotropic Distillation Method, Sheng-An Xia, Li-Xia Yuan, Ze Yang, Zhao-Hui Wang, Yun-Hui Huang, Shuang Li, Wu-Xing Zhang, Ya-Bin Meng, Wei-Gong Zheng

Journal of Electrochemistry

Layered LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ is one of the most promising alternative materials for LiCoO₂ in lithium ion batteries due to its low cost,large capacity and excellent cyclability.In this paper,LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ was synthesized via azeotropic distillation method with isobutyl alcohol as an azeotropic agent.The structure and surface morphology were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and scanning electron microscope(SEM),respectively.The as-prepared LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ shows a layered α-NaFeO₂ structure;the particles are small and uniformly distributed.As compared with the sample prepared by traditional method,the present cathode material …

Electrochemical Behavior Of Co-Ru Composite In Alkaline Solution, Su-Mei Yao, Guo-Chun Li, Xue-Ping Gao

Journal of Electrochemistry

The electrochemical properties of Ru doped cobalt hydroxides synthesized via homogeneous chemical co-precipitation were investigated in 6 mol·L^-1 KOH solution by galvanostatic charge-discharge process and cyclic voltammetry(CV).It is demonstrated that Ru doped cobalt hydroxides exhibited good capacitive characteristic and high specific capacitance.The sample with a Co/Ru molar ratio of 8 /1 shows the optimized electrochemical performance,including capacitive property and discharge capacity.The microstructure and morphology of the obtained Ru doped hydroxides were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and scanning electron microscope(SEM).The amorphous structure of ruthenium dioxide nanoparticles and single-crystal structure of Co(OH)₂ platelets were confirmed.Based on a structure analysis and …

The Electrochemical Characteristics Of Cpo-Pll/Gc Electrode, Wen Zhao, Xia-Qin Wu, Zhong-Qing Lu, Wen-Jing Hou, He-Xing Li

Journal of Electrochemistry

Poly-L-lysine(PLL) was electropolymerized onto the surface of glassy carbon(GC) electrode.1[(3-dimethylamino)propyl]-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride(EDC) was used as a Cross-linking agent to immobilized Chloroperoxidase(CPO) onto the PLL/GC electrode.A pair of well-defined redox peaks was observed at CPO-PLL/GC electrode,which clearly suggested that PLL can promote the direct electron transfer between the CPO and the GC electrodes.The cyclic voltammetry results also showed that the electron transfer at CPO-PLL/GC is a surface adsorption-controlled quasi-reversible process,which is accompanied with proton transfer.The CPO-PLL/GC electrode exhibited a good electrochemical stability and excellently electrocatalytic activity for electrochemical reduction of O₂.

Electrochemical Corrosion Behavior Of Tio2/Ha Composite Coating On Medical Titanium In Tyrode's Physiological Solution, Li-Li Kong, Long-Xiang Lin, Rong-Gang Hu, Fan Zhang, Chang-Jian Lin

Journal of Electrochemistry

Titanium and its alloys have been widely used as medical implant materials because of their good mechanical properties and biocompatibility.However,the physiological corrosion of metal will release metal ions,resulting in toxic and side effects.In this paper,in order to improve the corrosion resistance of titanium,and to enhance its bioactivity and osseointegration,the surface modification of titamum were performed.Using eletrochemical methods Tafel polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS) were applied to study the electrochemical corrosion behavior of TiO₂ /HA composite coating.It is indicated that the corrosion resistance of the prepared TiO₂ /Ti material in Tyrode's physiological solution is improved because of the enhanced …

Electrocatalytic Reduction Of L-Cystine At Pb/Nanotio2 Film Electrode, Dao-Bao Chu, Feng Wang, Ying Xiao, Xue-Jiao Zhang

Journal of Electrochemistry

The nanoporous Ti-based TiO₂ films electrodes modified with Pb particles(Pb/nanoTiO₂) were prepared by using anodization and potentiostatic electro-deposition.The optimum deposition conditions were determined by comparing with various deposition potentials and time.The SEM analyses indicated that the TiO₂ films were homogeneous nanoporous structure,and the Pb particles well dispersed on the TiO₂ films.The L-cystine electrocatalytic activity reduction on the Pb/nanoTiO₂ film electrodes was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and Chronoamperometric curves.The results showed that this type of the electrode posseses high acticity and stability.

Study Of Electrodes Modified With Hybrid Copper Cobalt Hexacyanoferrate-Mwcnts Composites, Shan Jiang, Yun Zhang, Xiao-Yan Wang, Xiao-Fei Yao

Journal of Electrochemistry

The hybrid modified electrodes were obtained by electrochemical deposition of copper-cobalt hexacyanoferrate(CuCoHCF) /multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs) on the surface of glassy carbon electrode.The effects of the amount of MWCNTs and composition of electrolyte on the properties of modified electrode had been researched.The copper cobalt hexacyanoferrate-MWCNTs modified electrodes show excellent electrochemical properties compared with that modified only copper-cobalt hexacyanoferrate.The CuCoHCF-MWCNTs/GCE exhibits obvious electrocatalytic activity towards oxidation of hydrogen peroxide.The oxidation peak current increased linearly with the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the range of 3.16 × 10^-5 ～ 2.92 × 10^-3 mol· L^-1.The linear equation is given up …

Preparation And Characterization Of Sulfur/Mesoprous Carbon Composite Cathodes, Wen-Hua Zhang, Yao Chen, Xin-Ping Ai, Yu-Liang Cao

Journal of Electrochemistry

A sulfur/mesoporous carbon composite was prepared by thermally treating a mixture of sublimed sulfur and mesoporous carbon. The microstructure of the mesoporous carbon was characterized by BET analysis and X-ray diffraction(XRD). The electrochemical performance of the S/C composite as cathode materials was evaluated by the galvanostatic method. The results confirmed that the mesoporous carbon could not only greatly enhance the electrochemical activity of sulfur electrode, but also effectively confine the diffusion of dissolved polysulfides in organic electrolyte. As a result,the S/C composites showed high capacity, good cycle performance and excellent rate capability. The specific capacity of the S/C composite was …

The Synthesise Of Electron-Conducting Redox Hydrogel And Its Application In Microbial Fuel Cell, Kai-Peng Wang, Sheng-Li Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

Efficient electron transfer between the microbe and the anode is key for the electricity generation in Microbial fuel cell(MFC).Through the modification of anode,the rate of electron transfer can be accelerated,therefore the performance of MFC can be enhanced.In this paper,we report the synthesis of a type of electronconducting and bio-compatible redox hydrogel and its application.The hydrogel consists of poly(4-vinylpyridine) as backbone and neutral red as the redox center.By immobiliazing neutral red on the backbone through covalent bond,the secondary contamination due to the soluble redox mediator to external environment can be prevented.MFCs using the hydrogel-modified carbon anode significantly exhibit shorter acclimation period,and …

Electrochemical Properties Of Ni(Oh)2 Doped By Nio, Fei-Biao Chen, Bo-Rong Wu, Wei-Feng An, Zhao-Jun Yang, Feng Wu, Shi Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

The Ni(OH)₂ cathode material of MH/Ni was doped by NiO,which behaves as a capacitor and can improve the charge-discharge rate capacity of Ni(OH)₂.The electrochemical properties of Ni(OH)₂ was characterized by charge-discharge curves and cyclic voltammetry.The results showed that the material had the best discharge property when doped by 5% NiO,and the discharge specific capacity could reach 310.1 mAh/g at 0.2 C rate and remianed 79.5% at 3 C rate.The difference oxidation and reduction potentials between the of the battery was 164 mV when the Ni(OH)₂ was doped by 5% NiO,which showed a good cyclic property.

Studied Corrosion Behaviors Of Reinforcing Steel In Concrete By A Single-Dimensional Array Electrode, Lan-Qiang Li, Shi-Gang Dong, Rong-Gui Du, Chang-Jian Lin

Journal of Electrochemistry

A single-dimensional array electrode was developed as a new electrochemical technique to image corrosion potential,galvanic current and polarization curves of reinforcing steel in concrete during corrosion process.Combining with the polarization behavior for each micro-electrode,the interactions between corrosion macrocell and corrosion microcell of the steel in concrete were evaluated.It was noticed that the corrosion macrocell and microcell occurred independently in difference regions at the initial stage of corrosion.The corrosion macrocell current can be in situ followed by corrosion potential imaging.The corrosion propagation of steel in concrete is closely related to the interactions between corrosion macrocell and corrosion microcell.

Electrosynthesis Of P-Aminobenzenearsenic Acid, Chun-An Ma, Qin-An Zheng, Qiang Zhou, Ying-Hua Xu

Journal of Electrochemistry

The electrochemical reduction of p-nitrophenyl arsonit acid to p-aminobenzenearsenic acid was studied using controlled-current electrolysis.The results showed that the yield of p-aminobenzenearsenic acid was determinated by the following factors:the concentrations of sulphuric acid,the amount of additive,temperature and the concentrations of p-nitrophenyl arsenic acid.The optimum electrolytic conditions were obtained to be is 10% H₂SO₄,1% NaCl,80 ℃,25 g/350 mL p-nitrophenyl arsenic acid and 10 A·dm^-2.The yield of arsanilic acid could be reached 64.7% under the optimum electrolytic conditions.

Cobalt-Doped Todorokite Prepared By Refluxing At Atmospheric Pressure As Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode, Rui-Qi Li, Chun-Hua Song, Chao Xu, Li-Xing Tu, Guo-Hong Qiu, Fan Liu

Journal of Electrochemistry

Cobalt-doped todorokites were prepared by refluxing at atmospheric pressure,and then charactered by X-ray diffraction(XRD),thermogravimetry(TG) and the analysis of chemical compositions.These measurements showed that all of the refluxing products were single phase of todorokites and the structure formulas were Mg_xCo_yMnO_z·nH₂O,where 0.18 ≤ x ≤ 0.22,0 ≤ y ≤ 0.24,2.10 ≤ z ≤ 2.53,and 0.35 ≤ n ≤0.73.The electrochemical characteristics of cobalt-doped todorokites were examined as lithium insertion hosts for cathodes in rechargeable lithium batteries.The first discharge capacity of undoped todorokite electrode was 211 mAh/g and the discharge capacity became 37 mAh/g after 30 …

Fabrication And Characterization Of The Ni-Scsz Composite Anodes With A Lscm-Ceo2 Catalyst Layer In Thin Film Sofc, Yun-Yun Wang, Bo Huang, Xin-Jian Zhu, Wan-Qi Hu, Qing-Chun Yu

Journal of Electrochemistry

Solid oxide full cell(SOFC) running directly on hydrocarbon fuels has attracted much attention in recent years. In this paper, a dual-layer structure anode was fabricated by tape casting and screen printing method. The addition of a LSCM-CeO₂ catalyst layer to the supported anode surface yielded better performance in ethanol fuel. The maximum power density reached 710 and 669 mW/cm² at 850 ℃ running on hydrogen gas steam and ethanol steam,respectively. No significant degradation in performance has been observed after 216 h of cell testing when the Ni-ScSZ13 anode was exposed to the ethanol steam at 700 ℃. Very …

East Bay Energy Consortium Joint Committee Workshop At The Bristol Town Hall, Burnside Building, February 24, 2010, Meeting Notes, East Bay Energy Consortium

East Bay Energy Consortium Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.