Comparison on phonon dispersion (a, b and c), measured lattice thermal conductivity versus prediction (d, e and f) and the corresponding error analyses (g, h and i) for Debye-Slack model (a, d and g), Debye-Snyder model (b, e and h) and the one developed in this work considering the periodic boundary condition (c, g and i) for crystalline solids.
The researchers' vision is of vehicles where a large part of the car-body or aeroplane-fuselage consists of structural lithium ion batteries. Multi-functional carbon fibre can work as battery electrodes and load-bearing material consecutively. The researchers work with structural lithium ion batteries where the negative electrodes are made of carbon fiber and the positive electrodes are made of cathode-coated carbon fiber. In the picture, the battery is charged, which means the negative electrode is filled with positively charged lithium ions.
The hot-press procedure, developed at Drexel, melts sulfur into the nanofiber mats in a slightly pressurized, 140-degree Celsius environment -- eliminating the need for time-consuming processing that uses a mix of toxic chemicals, while improving the cathode's ability to hold a charge after long periods of use.