• Journal of Powder Materials
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.252-261
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• 2022

Cobalt is a vital metal in the modern society because of its applications in lithium-ion batteries, super alloys, hard metals, and catalysts. Further, cobalt is a representative rare metal and is the 30th most abundant element in the Earth's crust. This study reviews the current status of cobalt extraction and recycling processes, along with the trends in its production amount and use. Although cobalt occurs in a wide range of minerals, such as oxides and sulfides of copper and nickel ores, the amounts of cobalt in the minerals are too low to be extracted economically. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) leads cobalt mining, and accounts for 68.9 % of the global cobalt reserves (142,000 tons in 2020). Cobalt is mainly extracted from copper-cobalt and nickel-cobalt concentrates and is occasionally extracted directly from the ore itself by hydro-, pyro-, and electro-metallurgical processes. These smelting methods are essential for developing new recycling processes to extract cobalt from secondary resources. Cobalt is mainly recycled from lithium-ion batteries, spent catalysts, and cobalt alloys. The recycling methods for cobalt also depend on the type of secondary cobalt resource. Major recycling methods from secondary resources are applied in pyro- and hydrometallurgical processes.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.86-96
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• 2024

This research investigation employs a terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy system to study the terahertz spectral characteristics of five different citrates in both solution and solid state. The citrates under examination are lithium citrate, monosodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, and potassium citrate. The results show that the THz absorption coefficients of the first four citrate solutions exhibit a decreasing trend with increasing concentration. However, the potassium citrate solution shows an opposite phenomenon. At the same time, the absorption coefficients of lithium citrate, trisodium citrate, and potassium citrate solutions are compared at the same concentration. The results indicate that the absorption coefficient of citrate solution increases in proportion to the increase of metal cation radius, which is explained from the perspective of the influence of metal cations on hydrogen bonds. In addition, we also study the absorption peaks of solid citrates, and characterize the formation mechanism of the absorption peaks by molecular dynamics simulations. This methodology can be further extended to the study of multitudinous salts, presenting theoretical foundations for the detection in food and medicine industries.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제30권9호
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• pp.1996-2000
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• 2009

Alkali metal salts were introduced to enhance the ionization efficiency of glucose and maltooligoses in electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). A mixture of the same moles of glucose, maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, and maltoheptaose was used. Salts of lithium, sodium, potassium, and cesium were employed as the cationizing agent. The ionization efficiency varied with the alkali metal cation types as well as the analyte sizes. Ion abundance distribution of the [M+$cation]^+$ ions of the carbohydrates varied with the fragmentor voltage. The maximum ion abundance at low fragmentor voltage was observed at maltose, while the maximum ion abundance at high fragmentor voltage shifted to maltotriose or maltotetraose for Na, K, and Cs. Variation of the ionization efficiency was explained with the hydrated cation size and the binding energy of the analyte and alkali metal cation.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.173-185
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• 2013

Oxidations of metal generate large quantity of thermal and light energies but no toxic pollutants, so that metals with high calorific values, such as beryllium, boron, aluminum, magnesium, and lithium, are possible to be used as clean fuels instead of fossil fuels. However, they are so explosive due to very high oxidation rates that they should be stabilized by their surface passivation with oxides, organics and inorganics. For reasonable use of energetic metal particles as solid fuel, therefore, some detail information, such as thermal properties, preparation and passivation methods, and application area, of the energetic metals is introduced in this manuscript.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.188-194
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• 2017

PURPOSE. This study was to evaluate the effect of repeated ultrasonic scaling and surface polishing with intraoral polishing kits on the surface roughness of three different restorative materials. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A total of 15 identical discs were fabricated with three different materials. The ultrasonic scaling was conducted for 20 seconds on the test surfaces. Subsequently, a multi-step polishing with recommended intraoral polishing kit was performed for 30 seconds. The 3D profiler and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate surface integrity before scaling (pristine), after scaling, and after surface polishing for each material. Non-parametric Friedman and Wilcoxon signed rank sum tests were employed to statistically evaluate surface roughness changes of the pristine, scaled, and polished specimens. The level of significance was set at 0.05. RESULTS. Surface roughness values before scaling (pristine), after scaling, and polishing of the metal alloys were $3.02{\pm}0.34{\mu}m$, $2.44{\pm}0.72{\mu}m$, and $3.49{\pm}0.72{\mu}m$, respectively. Surface roughness of lithium disilicate increased from $2.35{\pm}1.05{\mu}m$ (pristine) to $28.54{\pm}9.64{\mu}m$ (scaling), and further increased after polishing ($56.66{\pm}9.12{\mu}m$, P<.05). The zirconia showed the most increase in roughness after scaling (from $1.65{\pm}0.42{\mu}m$ to $101.37{\pm}18.75{\mu}m$), while its surface roughness decreased after polishing ($29.57{\pm}18.86{\mu}m$, P<.05). CONCLUSION. Ultrasonic scaling significantly changed the surface integrities of lithium disilicate and zirconia. Surface polishing with multi-step intraoral kit after repeated scaling was only effective for the zirconia, while it was not for lithium disilicate.

• Membrane Journal
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.310-317
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• 2016

Lithium ion secondary battery (LISB) is an energy conversion system operated via charging-discharging cycle based on Lithium ion migration. LISB has a lot of advantages such as high energy density, low self-discharge rate, and a relatively high lifetime. Recently, increasing demands of electric vehicles have been encouraging the development of LISB with high capacity. Unfortunately, it causes some critical safety issues. It includes dendrite formation on negative electrode, resulting in electric shortage problems and battery explosion. Also, the elevated temperatures occurred during the LISB operation induces thermal shrinkage of polyolefin (e.g., polyethylene and polypropylene) separators. Consequently, the low thermal stability leads to decay of LISB performances and the reduction of lifetime. In this study, sulfonated poly (arylene ether sulfone) (SPAES) random copolymers were used as key materials to prepare polyolefin pore-filling separator. The resulting separators were evaluated in the term of metal ion chelation capability associated with dendrite formation, $Li^+$ ion conductivity and thermal durability.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.92-98
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• 2020

SnO₂-based high-capacity anode materials are attractive candidate for the next-generation high-performance lithium-ion batteries since the theoretical capacity of SnO₂ can be ideally extended from 781 to 1494 mAh g^-1. Here 3D etched Cu foam is applied as a current collector for electron path and simultaneously a substrate for the SnO₂ coating, for developing an integrated electrode structure. We fabricate the 3D etched Cu foam through an auto-catalytic electroless plating method, and then coat the SnO₂ onto the self-supporting substrate through a simple sol-gel method. The catalytic dissolution of Cu metal makes secondary pores of both several micrometers and several tens of micrometers at the surface of Cu foam strut, besides main channel-like interconnected pores. Especially, the additional surface pores on etched Cu foam are intended for penetrating the individual strut of Cu foam, and thereby increasing the surface area for SnO₂ coating by using even the internal of Cu foam. The increased areal capacity with high structural integrity upon cycling is demonstrated in the SnO₂-coated 3D etched Cu foam. This study not only prepares the etched Cu foam using the spontaneous chemical reactions but also demonstrates the potential for electroless plating method about surface modification on various metal substrates.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 한국진공학회 2009년도 제38회 동계학술대회 초록집
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• pp.277-277
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• 2010

The capacity of the carbonaceous materials reached ca. $350\;mAhg^{-1}$ which is close to theorestical value of the carbon intercalation composition $LiC_6$, resulting in a relatively low volumetric Li capacity. Notwithstanding the capacities of carbon, it will not adjust well to the need so future devices. Silicon shows the highest gravimetric capacities (up to $4000\;mAhg^{-1}$ for $Li_{21}Si_5$). Although Si is the most promising of the next generation anodes, it undergoes a large volume change during lithium insertion and extraction. It results in pulverization of the Si and loss of electrical contact between the Si and the current collector during the lithiation and delithiation. Thus, its capacity fades rapidly during cycling. We focused on electrode materials in the multiphase form which were composed of two metal compounds to reduce the volume change in material design. A combination of electrochemically amorphous active material in an inert matrix (Si-M) has been investigated for use as negative electrode materials in lithium ion batteries. The matrix composited of Si-M alloys system that; active material (Si)-inactive material (M) with Li; M is a transition metal that does not alloy with Li with Li such as Ti, V or Mo. We fabricated and tested a broad range of Si-M compositions. The electrodes were sputter-deposited on rough Cu foil. Electrochemical, structural, and compositional characterization was performed using various techniques. The structure of Si-M alloys was investigated using X-ray Diffractometer (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Surface morphologies of the electrodes are observed using a field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The electrochemical properties of the electrodes are studied using the cycling test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). It is found that the capacity is strongly dependent on Si content and cycle retention is also changed according to M contents. It may be beneficial to find materials with high capacity, low irreversible capacity and that do not pulverize, and that combine Si-M to improve capacity retention.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• 제20권6호
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• pp.100-107
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• 2021

As a significant technology in the smartization era promoted by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the secondary battery industry has recently attracted significant attention. The demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which exhibit excellent performance, is considerably increasing in different industrial fields. During the manufacturing process of LIBs, it is necessary to join the cathode and anode sheets with thicknesses of several tens of micrometers to lead taps of the cathode and anode with thicknesses of several hundreds of micrometers. Ultrasonic welding exhibits excellent bonding when bonded with very thin plates, such as negative and positive electrodes of LIBs, and dissimilar and highly conductive materials. In addition, ultrasonic welding has a small heat-affected zone. In LIBs, Cu is mainly used as the negative electrode sheet, whereas Cu or Ni is used as the negative electrode tab. In this study, one or two electrode sheets (t0.025 mm Cu) were welded to one lead tab (t0.1 mm Cu). The welding energy and pressure were used as welding parameters to determine the welding strength of the interface between two or three welded materials. Finally, the effects of these welding parameters on the welding strength were investigated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2004년도 하계학술대회 논문집 Vol.5 No.2
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• pp.1015-1018
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• 2004

We investigate the influence of the New Electron Injection Layers (EIL) on the performance of the Alkali Metal Complex vapor-deposited Organic Light Emitting Diodes(OLED). Two different Alkali Metal Complex were used; Lithium Quinolate (Liq), and Sodium Quinolate (Naq). In all cases, $Alq_3$ was the Electron Transporting Layer (ETL). We measure and compare the current density-voltage (J-V) and luminance-voltage (L-V) characteristics. We concluded that the turn-on voltage, and luminance efficiency are controlled by the type of EIL material used. We show the longer life-time OLED with Alkali Metal Complex EIL than OLED with LiF EIL. And we show the Optimized Alkali Metal Complex thickness is 3nm. Existent LiF to because is inorganic material, there is trouble to do epitaxy into thin layers but regulates the thickness in case of Alkali Metal Complex matter characteristic that is easy be. Alkali Metal Complex also appeared by sensitive thing in thickness than LiF If utilize this material, It is thought much advantages may be at common use of OLED.