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The ability to track electrode degradation, both spatially and temporally, is fundamental to understand performance loss during operation of lithium batteries. X-ray computed tomography can be used to follow structural and morphological changes in electrodes; however, the direct detection of electrochemical processes related to metallic lithium is difficult due to the low sensitivity to the element. In this work, 4-dimensional neutron computed tomography, which shows high contrast for lithium, is used to directly quantify the lithium diffusion process in spirally wound Li/SOCl2 primary cells. The neutron dataset enables the quantification of the lithium transport from the anode and the accumulation inside the SOCl2 cathode to be locally resolved. Complementarity between the collected neutron and X-ray computed tomographies is shown and by applying both methods in concert we have observed lithium diffusion blocking by the LiCl protection layer and identified all cell components which are difficult to distinguish using one of the methods alone.
The mechanical compression of metal foam flow-field based polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) is critical in determining the interfacial contact resistance with gas diffusion layers (GDLs), reactant flow and water management.
The distinct scale between the pore structure of metal foams and the entire flow-field warrant a multilength scale characterization that combines ex-situ tests of compressed metal foam samples and in-operando analysis of operating PEFCs using X-ray computed tomography (CT) and neutron radiography. An optimal ‘medium’ compression was found to deliver a peak power density of 853 mW/cm². The X-ray CT data indicates that the compression process significantly decreases the mean pore size and narrows the pore size distribution of metal foams. Simulation results suggest compressing metal foam increases the pressure drop and gas velocity, improving the convective liquid water removal. This is in agreement with the neutron imaging results that demonstrates an increase in the mass of accumulated liquid water with minimum compression compared to the medium and maximum compression cases. The results show that a balance between Ohmic resistance, water removal capacity and parasitic power is imperative for the optimal performance of metal foam based PEFCs.
In recent years, low-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells have become an increasingly important pillar in a zero-carbon strategy for curbing climate change, with their potential to power multiscale stationary and mobile applications. The performance improvement is a particular focus of research and engineering roadmaps, with water management being one of the major areas of interest for development. Appropriate characterisation tools for mapping the evolution, motion and removal of water are of high importance to tackle shortcomings.
This article demonstrates the development of a 4D high-speed neutron imaging technique, which enables a quantitative analysis of the local water evolution. 4D visualisation allows the time-resolved studies of droplet formation in the flow fields and water quantification in various cell parts. Performance parameters for water management are identified that offer a method of cell classification, which will, in turn, support computer modelling and the engineering of next-generation flow field designs.
Transformers couple two sections of a circuit by electromagnetic induction. They are widely used to either transform alternating voltage levels or to transmit power or signals across galvanic isolation. Both of these functions are essential for the operation of sensors and controllers. Covering all aspects from idea to circuit performance and from design to manufacture, this paper presents the first comprehensive description of the making of miniaturized, rugged, up-to-100W transformers for embedding into multilayer circuit boards. For circular coils, the well-manageable Ampere-Laplace law is shown to yield reliable designs, predicting correctly the performance of manufactured hardware. This enables fast design without lengthy finite element modelling. In the low-power linear regime, basic relations describe how the device’s characteristics evolve from the material properties and device structure. While scattering Parameters are useful for the analysis of isolated transformers with their intrinsic parasitics, the interaction with the components of the final circuit and the aspects of power and efficiency are addressed by chain matrixes.
While these design rules are similar for multilayer boards of different material (like epoxy, Teflon, ceramics), the manufacturing of ceramic board transformers is considered here in detail. Low-temperature-cofired ceramic (LTCC) boards being sintered at 900 °C are particularly suited for harsh environments with chemical or thermal stress as frequently found at sensor positions. The transformer performance usually benefits from or even requires an integrated ceramic core of higher permeability, a ferrite, to shape the magnetic flux. Methods to sinter ferrites inside a dielectric ceramic multilayerandto measure their performance are therefore described in detail.Asthe sintering behaviour of dielectricandmagnetic ceramics differs considerably, their simultaneous sintering is challenging.However, the sintering temperatures of the usefulMnZnand NiZnCu ferrites can be lowered to that of the dielectric material with only moderate loss of permeability by glass additives. Furthermore, thermal mismatch between materials causes catastrophic failure or at least stress and loss of magnetic performance during cooling to room temperature after sintering. This is avoidable by either adjusting the thermal expansion coefficient of the ferrite or by enclosing the ferrite between stressreleasing separation layers.We present the state of the art in materials development according to the first approach as well as fully functional devices made with the second technique.
Other applications not directly addressed but well related to this work are characterized by low load resistance in relation to the coil resistance of the transformer. Efficient power transmission then requires that technological solutions are applied to achieve the lowest possible resistive loss inside the coils by an enlarged conductor cross-section.
As this is particularly challenging for LTCC boards, a technique is discussed to fabricate conductor traces with a thickness larger than their width.
The understanding of dynamic processes in Li-metal batteries is an important consideration to enable the full capacity of cells to be utilised. These processes, however, are generally not directly observable using X-ray techniques due to the low attenuation of Li; and are challenging to visualise using neutron imaging due to the low temporal resolution of the technique. In this work, complementary X-ray and neutron imaging are combined to track the dynamics of Li within a primary Li/SOCl2 cell. The temporal challenges posed by neutron imaging are overcome using the golden ratio imaging method which enables the identification of Li diffusion in operando. This combination of techniques has enabled an improved understanding of the processes which limit rate performance in Li/SOCl2 cells and may be applied beyond this chemistry to other Li-metal cells.