Electrolytes and interphases in Li-ion batteries and beyond.

This article provides an up-to-date perspective on the use of anion-exchange membranes in fuel cells, electrolysers, redox flow batteries, reverse electrodialysis cells, and bioelectrochemical systems (e.g. microbial fuel cells). The aim is to highlight key concepts, misconceptions, the current state-of-the-art, technological and scientific limitations, and the future challenges (research priorities) related to the use of anion-exchange membranes in these energy technologies. All the references that the authors deemed relevant, and were available on the web by the manuscript submission date (30th April 2014), are included.

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Anion-exchange membranes in electrochemical energy systems

After carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, nitrogen is the next most abundant element in the human body. Inorganic and organic compounds of nitrogen feature prominently in many biological and environmental, as well as industrial, processes. In nature, the inorganic compounds of nitrogen are controlled by a reaction cycle called the nitrogen cycle (Figure 1).1 The denitrification pathway in this cycle, that is, the conversion of nitrate to dinitrogen, is employed by certain bacteria to produce ATP anaerobically and gain energy for cell growth. All organisms use ammonia as one of the starting building blocks for the synthesis of amino acids, nucleotides, and many other important biological compounds. Nitric oxide is * Corresponding author. E-mail: m.koper@chem.leidenuniv.nl. † Present address: Energy research Centre of The Netherlands (ECN), P.O. Box 1, 1755 ZG Petten, The Netherlands. ‡ Present address: Research, Development & Innovation, AkzoNobel Chemicals bv, Velperweg 76, P.O. Box 9300, 6800 SB Arnhem, The Netherlands. Chem. Rev. 2009, 109, 2209–2244 2209

Nitrogen cycle electrocatalysis.

Latest research advances on magnesium and magnesium alloys worldwide

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are regarded as prospective solar cells for the next generation of photovoltaic technologies and have become research hotspots in the PV field. The counter electrode, as a crucial component of DSSCs, collects electrons from the external circuit and catalyzes the redox reduction in the electrolyte, which has a significant influence on the photovoltaic performance, long-term stability and cost of the devices. Solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, as well as the structure, principle, preparation and characterization of counter electrodes are mentioned in the introduction section. The next six sections discuss the counter electrodes based on transparency and flexibility, metals and alloys, carbon materials, conductive polymers, transition metal compounds, and hybrids, respectively. The special features and performance, advantages and disadvantages, preparation, characterization, mechanisms, important events and development histories of various counter electrodes are presented. In the eighth section, the development of counter electrodes is summarized with an outlook. This article panoramically reviews the counter electrodes in DSSCs, which is of great significance for enhancing the development levels of DSSCs and other photoelectrochemical devices.

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Yufeng Cheng

Papers

Effects of hydrogen-charging on the susceptibility of X100 pipeline steel to hydrogen-induced cracking

On the fundamentals of electrochemical corrosion of X65 steel in CO2-containing formation water in the presence of acetic acid in petroleum production

Characterization of inclusions of X80 pipeline steel and its correlation with hydrogen-induced cracking

Stress corrosion cracking behavior of X70 pipe steel in an acidic soil environment

Effect of non-metallic inclusions on hydrogen-induced cracking of API5L X100 steel