Abstract: The invention provides a method of making a electrocatalyst from waste tires. The method comprises the steps of providing rubber pieces; optionally contacting the rubber pieces with a sulfonation bath to produce sulfonated rubber; pyrolyzing the rubber to produce tire-derived carbon composite comprising carbon black, wherein the pyrolyzing comprises heating to at least 200° C.-2400° C.; activating the tire-derived carbon composite by contacting the tire-derived carbon composite with an alkali anion compound to provide activated tire-derived carbon supports; and loading the activated carbon-based supports with platinum cubes. In another embodiment, the tire-derived carbon composite is activated by annealing in a carbon dioxide atmosphere.

Abstract: The invention provides a catalyst and a method for making the catalyst. The catalyst comprises a porous carbon composite impregnated with a salt. The catalyst comprises a porous carbon composite impregnated with a salt.

Abstract: A capacitive deionization system includes first and second electrodes comprising tire derived carbon particles obtained from a carbonaceous waste-tire source material containing carbon black. A conductive polymer coating on the carbon particles forms coated carbon particles. The first electrode and the second electrode define a flow channel there between, having a first opening for conducting saline solution into the flow channel and a second opening for conducting treated saline solution from the flow channel. A first current collector is provided for the first electrode and a second current collector is provided for the second electrode. An electrical connection between the first and second electrodes. A method of making a system for the capacitive deionization of a salt from a liquid, and a method for the capacitive desalination of a saline solution are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of concentrating a lithium-containing aqueous solution, the method comprising: (i) providing a water-permeable structure having an inner surface and outer surface, wherein at least said outer surface is coated with a water-permeable hydrophilic polymer having a thermal stability of at least 100° C.; and (ii) flowing a lithium-containing aqueous feed solution having an initial concentration of lithium over said inner surface while said outer surface is in contact with an aqueous draw solution containing a higher overall ion concentration than said lithium-containing aqueous feed solution, to result in forward osmosis of water from said lithium-containing aqueous feed solution to said aqueous draw solution, and wherein said forward osmosis results in a lithium-containing aqueous product solution having an increased concentration of lithium relative to the initial concentration of lithium in the lithium-containing aqueous feed solution.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of making a electrocatalyst from waste tires. The method comprises the steps of providing rubber pieces; optionally contacting the rubber pieces with a sulfonation bath to produce sulfonated rubber; pyrolyzing the rubber to produce tire-derived carbon composite comprising carbon black, wherein the pyrolyzing comprises heating to at least 200° C.-2400° C.; activating the tire-derived carbon composite by contacting the tire-derived carbon composite with an alkali anion compound to provide activated tire-derived carbon supports; and loading the activated carbon-based supports with platinum cubes. In another embodiment, the tire-derived carbon composite is activated by annealing in a carbon dioxide atmosphere.

Abstract: A capacitive deionization system includes first and second electrodes comprising tire derived carbon particles obtained from a carbonaceous waste-tire source material containing carbon black. A conductive polymer coating on the carbon particles forms coated carbon particles. The first electrode and the second electrode define a flow channel there between, having a first opening for conducting saline solution into the flow channel and a second opening for conducting treated saline solution from the flow channel. A first current collector is provided for the first electrode and a second current collector is provided for the second electrode. An electrical connection between the first and second electrodes. A method of making a system for the capacitive deionization of a salt from a liquid, and a method for the capacitive desalination of a saline solution are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides a catalyst and a method for making the catalyst. The catalyst comprises a porous carbon composite impregnated with a salt. The catalyst comprises a porous carbon composite impregnated with a salt.

Abstract: A method for making a superconducting article includes the steps of providing a biaxially textured substrate. A seed layer is then deposited. The seed layer includes a double perovskite of the formula A2B?B?O6, where A is rare earth or alkaline earth metal and B? and B? are different rare earth or transition metal cations. A superconductor layer is grown epitaxially such that the superconductor layer is supported by the seed layer.

Abstract: A laminated conductor includes a metallic substrate having a surface, a biaxially textured buffer layer supported by the surface of the metallic substrate, the biaxially textured buffer layer comprising Y2O3 and a dopant for blocking cation diffusion through the Y2O3, and a biaxially textured conductor layer supported by the biaxially textured buffer layer.

Abstract: A laminated conductor includes a metallic substrate having a surface, a biaxially textured buffer layer supported by the surface of the substrate, the biaxially textured buffer layer comprising LZO and a dopant for mitigating metal diffusion through the LZO, and a biaxially textured conductor layer supported by the biaxially textured buffer layer.

Abstract: A superconducting article includes a substrate having an untextured metal surface; an untextured barrier layer of La2Zr2O7 or Gd2Zr2O7 supported by and in contact with the surface of the substrate; a biaxially textured buffer layer supported by the untextured barrier layer; and a biaxially textured superconducting layer supported by the biaxially textured buffer layer. Moreover, a method of forming a buffer layer on a metal substrate includes the steps of: providing a substrate having an untextured metal surface; coating the surface of the substrate with a barrier layer precursor; converting the precursor to an untextured barrier layer; and depositing a biaxially textured buffer layer above and supported by the untextured barrier layer.

Abstract: Laminated, biaxially textured superconductors include Ir-based buffer layers and/or substrates.

Abstract: A laminate article comprises a substrate and a biaxially textured (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer layer over the substrate, wherein 0<x<1 and RE1 and RE2 are each selected from the group consisting of Nd, Sm, Eu, Ho, Er, Lu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Tm, and Yb. The (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer layer can be deposited using sol-gel or metal-organic decomposition. The laminate article can include a layer of YBCO over the (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer layer. A layer of CeO2 between the YBCO layer and the (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer can also be include. Further included can be a layer of YSZ between the CeO2 layer and the (R1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer layer. The substrate can be a biaxially textured metal, such as nickel. A method of forming the laminate article is also disclosed.

Abstract: A laminate article comprises a substrate and a biaxially textured (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer layer over the substrate, wherein 0<x<1 and RE1 and RE2 are each selected from the group consisting of Nd, Sm, Eu, Ho, Er, Lu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Tm, and Yb. The (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer layer can be deposited using sol-gel or metal-organic decomposition. The laminate article can include a layer of YBCO over the (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer layer. A layer of CeO2 between the YBCO layer and the (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer can also be include. Further included can be a layer of YSZ between the CeO2 layer and the (R1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer layer. The substrate can be a biaxially textured metal, such as nickel. A method of forming the laminate article is also disclosed.

Abstract: Buffer layer architectures are epitaxially deposited on biaxially-textured rolled-Ni and/or Cu substrates for high current conductors, and more particularly buffer layer architectures such as MgO/Ag/Pt/Ni, MgO/Ag/Pd/Ni, MgO/Ag/Ni, MgO/Ag/Pd/Cu, MgO/Ag/Pt/Cu, and MgO/Ag/Cu. Techniques used to deposit these buffer layers include electron beam evaporation, thermal evaporation, rf magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), combustion CVD, and spray pyrolysis.

Abstract: A laminate article consists of a substrate and a biaxially textured protective layer over the substrate. The substrate can be biaxially textured and also have reduced magnetism over the magnetism of Ni. The substrate can be selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, iron, aluminum, silver and alloys containing any of the foregoing. The protective layer can be selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and nickel and alloys containing any of the foregoing. The protective layer is also non-oxidizable under conditions employed to deposit a desired, subsequent oxide buffer layer. Layers of YBCO, CeO2, YSZ, LaAlO3, SrTiO3, Y2O3, RE2O3, SrRuO3, LaNiO3 and La2ZrO3 can be deposited over the protective layer. A method of forming the laminate article is also disclosed.

Abstract: A laminate article comprises a substrate and a biaxially textured (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer layer over the substrate, wherein 0<x<1 and RE1 and RE2 are each selected from the group consisting of Nd, Sm, Eu, Ho, Er, Lu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Tm, and Yb. The (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer layer can be deposited using sol-gel or metal-organic decomposition. The laminate article can include a layer of YBCO over the (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer layer. A layer of CeO2 between the YBCO layer and the (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer can also be include. Further included can be a layer of YSZ between the CeO2 layer and the (RE1xRE2(1−x))2O3 buffer layer. The substrate can be a biaxially textured metal, such as nickel. A method of forming the laminate article is also disclosed.

Abstract: A laminate article comprises a substrate and a biaxially textured (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer over the substrate, wherein 0<x≦0.70 and RE is selected from the group consisting of La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Th, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu. A is selected from the group consisting of Zr+4, Ce+4, Sn+4, and Hf+4. The (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer can be deposited using sol-gel or metal-organic decomposition. The laminate article can include a layer of YBCO over the (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer. A layer of CeO2 between the YBCO layer and the (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer can also be include. Further included can be a layer of YSZ between the CeO2 layer and the (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer. The substrate can be a biaxially textured metal, such as nickel. A method of forming the laminate article is also disclosed.

Abstract: A laminate article comprises a substrate and a biaxially textured (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer over the substrate, wherein 0<x≦0.70 and RE is selected from the group consisting of La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu. A is selected from the group consisting of Zr+4, Ce+4, Sn+4, and Hf+4. The (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer can be deposited using sol-gel or metal-organic decomposition. The laminate article can include a layer of YBCO over the (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer. A layer of CeO2 between the YBCO layer and the (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer can also be include. Further included can be a layer of YSZ between the CeO2 layer and the (RExA(1−x))2O2−(x/2) buffer layer. The substrate can be a biaxially textured metal, such as nickel. A method of forming the laminate article is also disclosed.

Abstract: Buffer layer architectures are epitaxially deposited on biaxially-textured rolled-Ni and/or Cu substrates for high current conductors, and more particularly buffer layer architectures such as MgO/Ag/Pt/Ni, MgO/Ag/Pd/Ni, MgO/Ag/Ni, MgO/Ag/Pd/Cu, MgO/Ag/Pt/Cu, and MgO/Ag/Cu. Techniques used to deposit these buffer layers include electron beam evaporation, thermal evaporation, rf magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), combustion CVD, and spray pyrolysis.