Abstract: Novel intercalation electrode materials including ternary acetylides of chemical formula: AnMC2 where A is alkali or alkaline-earth element; M is transition metal or metalloid element; C2 is reference to the acetylide ion; n is an integer that is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 when A is alkali element and 0, 1, or 2 when A is alkaline-earth element. The alkali elements are Lithium (Li), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Rubidium (Rb), Cesium (Cs) and Francium (Fr). The alkaline-earth elements are Berilium (Be), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Strontium (Sr), Barium (Ba), and Radium (Ra). M is a transition metal that is any element in groups 3 through 12 inclusive on the Periodic Table of Elements (elements 21 (Sc) to element 30 (Zn)). In another exemplary embodiment, M is a metalloid element.

Abstract: A low-workfunction photocathode includes a photoemissive material employed as a coating on the photocathode. The photoemissive material includes AnMC2, where A is a first metal element, the first element is an alkali metal, an alkali-earth element or the element Al; n is an integer that is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4; M is a second metal element, the second metal element is a transition metal or a metal stand-in; and C2 is the acetylide ion C22?. The photoemissive material includes a crystalline structure or non-crystalline structure of rod-like or curvy 1-dimensional polymeric substructures with MC2 repeating units embedded in a matrix of A.

Abstract: An electrochemical energy storage device comprising a primary positive electrode, a negative electrode, and one or more ionic conductors. The ionic conductors ionically connect the primary positive electrode with the negative electrode. The primary positive electrode comprises carbon dioxide (CO2) and a means for electrochemically reducing the CO2. This means for electrochemically reducing the CO2 comprises a conductive primary current collector, contacting the CO2, whereby the CO2 is reduced upon the primary current collector during discharge. The primary current collector comprises a material to which CO2 and the ionic conductors are essentially non-corrosive. The electrochemical energy storage device uses CO2 as an electroactive species in that the CO2 is electrochemically reduced during discharge to enable the release of electrical energy from the device.

Abstract: An electrochemical energy storage device comprising a primary positive electrode, a negative electrode, and one or more ionic conductors. The ionic conductors ionically connect the primary positive electrode with the negative electrode. The primary positive electrode comprises carbon dioxide (CO2) and a means for electrochemically reducing the CO2. This means for electrochemically reducing the CO2 comprises a conductive primary current collector, contacting the CO2, whereby the CO2 is reduced upon the primary current collector during discharge. The primary current collector comprises a material to which CO2 and the ionic conductors are essentially non-corrosive. The electrochemical energy storage device uses CO2 as an electroactive species in that the CO2 is electrochemically reduced during discharge to enable the release of electrical energy from the device.

Abstract: The polarization and diffraction characteristics of x-rays incident upon a magnetic material are manipulated to provide a desired magnetic sensitivity in the material. The contrast in diffracted intensity of opposite helicities of circularly polarized x-rays is measured to permit separation of magnetic signals by element type and by atomic environment. This allows for the direct probing of magnetic signals from elements of the same species in nonequivalent atomic environments to better understand the behavior and characteristics of permanent magnetic materials. By using known crystallographic information together with manipulation of the polarization of x-rays having energies tuned near element-specific electronic excitations and by detecting and comparing the incident and diffracted photons at the same frequency, more accurate magnetic measurements can be made over shorter observation periods.