Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of single-mode optical fibers and discloses a bending-insensitive, radiation-resistant single-mode optical fiber, sequentially including from inside to outside: a core, inner claddings, and an outer cladding, all made from a quartz material. The inner claddings comprise, from inside to outside, a first fluorine-doped inner cladding and a second fluorine-doped inner cladding. The core and the first fluorine-doped inner cladding are not doped with germanium. The respective concentrations of other metal impurities and phosphorus are less than 0.1 ppm. By mass percent, the core has a fluorine dopant content of 0-0.45% and a chlorine content of 0.01-0.10%; the first fluorine-doped inner cladding has a fluorine concentration of 1.00-1.55%; and the second fluorine-doped inner cladding has a fluorine concentration of 3.03-5.00%.

Abstract: Lithium titanate, Li4Ti5O12, particles containing surface hydroxyl groups are susceptible to unwanted gas generation (such as hydrogen) in the presence of water contamination when the particles are used as active anode electrode material in lithium-ion cells operating with an anhydrous liquid electrolyte. In accordance with this disclosure, the hydroxyl groups on the surfaces of the particles are reacted with one of a group of selected agents containing organic alkoxy groups to form hydrophobic moieties on the surfaces of the particles which effectively block water molecules from the surfaces of lithium titanate particles in the anode of the cell.

Abstract: A copper foil, intended for use as a current collector in a lithium-containing electrode for a lithium-based electrochemical cell, is subjected to a series of chemical oxidation and reduction processing steps to form a field of integral copper wires extending outwardly from the surfaces of the current collector (and from the copper content of the foil) to be coated with a resin-bonded porous layer of particles of active electrode material. The copper wires serve to anchor thicker layers of porous electrode material and enhance liquid electrolyte contact with the electrode particles and the current collector to improve the energy output of the cell and its useful life.

Abstract: The presently disclosed technology discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle control method and apparatus. A device displays a map. The device detects a first movement path on a touch-sensitive surface of the device. The device overlays a trajectory on the map in accordance with the first movement path.; The device automatically generates a number of waypoints along the trajectory. and the device displays the waypoints on the trajectory and sends instructions to an unmanned vehicle in accordance with the trajectory and the waypoints. The unmanned vehicle moves in accordance with trajectory by executing the instructions.

Abstract: An atmospheric plasma spray device is used to direct a stream of plasma-heated, particulate, lithium battery electrode materials to form a porous layer of the electrode particles on a surface of a compatible current collector metal foil. Subsequently, a non-plasma spray device is used to direct a stream of droplets of an aqueous solution of a polymeric binder material onto and into the porous layer of electrode particles. Water evaporates from the droplets of binder solution as the droplets infiltrate the porous electrode material and coat the electrode particles and current collector surface. When the water (or other solvent) has evaporated from the dispersed droplets of polymer material, the polymer binder bonds the particles to each other and to the current collector surface. The polymer spray may immediately follow the deposition of the electrode particles, or follow later, even at a downstream spray location.

Abstract: This invention relates to compounds comprising a saccharide conjugated to an imaging agent or a reporter group, compositions comprising them and methods of using them. Specifically BLM-disaccharide and BLM-monosaccharide conjugates containing different linker groups and an imaging agent or a reporter group are provided for the targeting and imaging of tumors.

Abstract: A method for reducing residual water content in a battery material includes placing the battery material having residual water adsorbed therein in a channel substantially sealed from an ambient environment. A gaseous mixture is caused to flow through the battery material in the channel. The gaseous mixture includes an organic solvent vapor present in an amount effective to hydrogen bond with at least some water molecules from the battery material. The gaseous mixture is caused to flow through the battery material for a predetermined amount of time, at a predetermined temperature, and at a predetermined pressure. The organic solvent vapor having at least some water molecules bonded thereto is removed from the battery material. The removing takes place for a predetermined amount of time, at a predetermined temperature, and at a predetermined pressure, thereby forming the battery material having reduced residual water content.

Abstract: A system for forming an electrode for a lithium-ion battery cell includes an electrode material, a material-supply mechanism, a wetting mechanism, a debris-generating tool, and a conditioner. The material-supply mechanism is configured to deliver the electrode material. The wetting mechanism is configured to receive the electrode material from the material-supply mechanism and apply a solution to the electrode material to produce a wet precursor. The debris-generating tool is configured to remove a portion of the electrode material from the wet precursor to form a pre-electrode. The conditioner is configured to eliminate the solution from the pre-electrode and thereby form the electrode.

Abstract: A reaction vessel in the form of a box is sized to closely contain electrode elements or core cell elements of a lithium-based or sodium-based battery or capacitor for contacting of the electrode material, placed in the reaction vessel, with a flowing gaseous stream of an inert carrier gas and vapor of an organic solvent of water for removing residual water from the porous electrode material elements which are to be infiltrated with a non-aqueous electrolyte solution. Complementary equipment is provided for delivering the gaseous stream to the reaction vessel with predetermined portions of carrier gas and organic vapor at a predetermined temperature, pressure, and flow rate.

Abstract: The anode and/or the cathode of a lithium-transporting or sodium-transporting electrochemical battery cell or capacitor cell are formed of small (micrometer-size) electrode material particles having one or more channels extending through substantially each electrode particle. The through-channels are formed in the electrode particles as the particles are being formed from precursor materials. Channel-forming fibers are mixed with the electrode precursor materials when the electrode particles are being formed, and the channel forming material is removed from the formed electrode particles to leave through channels in the particles that may subsequently be infiltrated with an electrolyte for the cell.

Abstract: Some lithium-ion batteries are assembled using a plurality of electrically interconnected battery pouches to obtain the electrical potential and power requirements of the battery application. In this disclosure, such battery pouches are prepared to contain a stacked grouping of inter-layered and interconnected anodes, cathodes, and separators, each wetted with a liquid electrolyte. A pair of reference electrodes is combined in a specific arrangement with other cell members to enable accurate assessment of both anode group and cathode group performance, and to validate and regenerate reference electrode capability.

Abstract: Atmospheric plasma spray devices and methods are used in the making of the electrodes for both a lithium-ion battery and a lithium-ion utilizing capacitor structure, which are to be placed in a common container and infiltrated with a common lithium-ion transporting, liquid electrolyte. The lithium-ion-utilizing capacitor and lithium-ion cell battery are combined such that the respective electrodes may be electrically connected, either in series or parallel connection for in energy storage and management in an automotive vehicle or other electrical power supply application.

Abstract: Electrodes are formed with a porous layer of particulate electrode material bonded to each of the two major sides of a compatible metal current collector. In one embodiment, opposing electrodes are formed with like lithium-ion battery anode materials or like cathode materials or capacitor materials on both sides of the current collector. In another embodiment, a battery electrode material is applied to one side of a current collector and capacitor material is applied to the other side. In general, the electrodes are formed by combining a suitable grouping of capacitor layers with un-equal numbers of anode and cathode battery layers. One or more pairs of opposing electrodes are assembled to provide a combination of battery and capacitor energy and power properties in a hybrid electrochemical cell. The cells may be formed by stacking or winding rolls of the opposing electrodes with interposed separators.

Abstract: Particles of active electrode material for a lithium secondary battery are coated with a precursor material which is either a carbon-based polymer or a metal and oxygen containing compound. The precursor material-coated particles are injected into a gas stream and momentarily exposed to an atmospheric plasma at a predetermined energy level and temperature up to about 3500° C. The plasma treatment converts (i) the carbon polymer to submicron size carbon particles or (ii) the metal compound to metal oxide particles on the surfaces of the particles of electrode material. In preferred embodiments of the invention the plasma treated coated active electrode material particles are carried by the gas stream and deposited onto an electrode material bearing substrate for a lithium battery cell.

Abstract: A low-loss few-mode fiber relates to the technical field of optical communications and related sensing devices, and includes, from inside to outside, a core layer (1), a fluorine-doped quartz inner cladding (2), a fluorine-doped quartz second core layer (3), a fluorine-doped quartz depressed cladding (4) and a fluorine-doped quartz outer cladding (5); germanium element is not doped within the core layer (1), the refractive index of the core layer (1) is in gradient distribution, and the distribution is a power-exponent distribution; the maximum value of difference in relative refractive index between the core layer (1) and the fluorine-doped quartz inner cladding (2) is 0.3% to 0.9%; the relative refractive index difference of the fluorine-doped quartz inner cladding (2) with respect to synthetic quartz is ?0.3% to ?0.5%; the difference in relative refractive index between the fluorine-doped quartz second core layer (3) and the fluorine-doped quartz inner cladding (2) is 0.05% to 0.

Abstract: An assembled electrochemical cell is formed comprising an anode containing sub-micrometer and micrometer-size particles of an anode material for cyclically intercalating and de-intercalating lithium ions or sodium ions, a cathode containing like-sized particles of a cathode material for intercalating and de-intercalating the ions utilized in the anode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte composed for transporting ions between the anode and cathode. Nanometer-size particles of a basic metal oxide or a metal nitride are mixed with at least one of (i) the particles of electrode material for at least one of the anode and cathode and (ii) the electrolyte. The composition and the amount of the metal oxide or metal nitride is determined for chemically neutralizing acidic contaminants formed in the operation of the electrochemical cell, adsorbing incidental water, and to generally prevent degradation of the respective electrode materials.

Abstract: Layers of particles of positive or negative electrode materials for lithium-secondary cells are deposited on porous separator layers or current collector films using atmospheric plasma practices for the deposition of the electrode material particles. Before the deposition step, the non-metallic electrode material particles are coated with smaller particles of an elemental metal. The elemental metal is compatible with the particulate electrode material in the operation of the electrode and the metal particles are partially melted during the atmospheric deposition step to bond the electrode material particles to the substrate and to each other in a porous layer for infiltration with a liquid lithium ion-containing electrolyte. And the metal coating on the particles provides suitable electrical conductivity to the electrode layer during cell operation.

Abstract: A low-loss few-mode fiber relates to the technical field of optical communications and related sensing devices, and includes, from inside to outside, a core layer (1), a fluorine-doped quartz inner cladding (2), a fluorine-doped quartz second core layer (3), a fluorine-doped quartz depressed cladding (4) and a fluorine-doped quartz outer cladding (5); germanium element is not doped within the core layer (1), the refractive index of the core layer (1) is in gradient distribution, and the distribution is a power-exponent distribution; the maximum value of difference in relative refractive index between the core layer (1) and the fluorine-doped quartz inner cladding (2) is 0.3% to 0.9%; the relative refractive index difference of the fluorine-doped quartz inner cladding (2) with respect to synthetic quartz is ?0.3% to ?0.5%; the difference in relative refractive index between the fluorine-doped quartz second core layer (3) and the fluorine-doped quartz inner cladding (2) is 0.05% to 0.

Abstract: Improved electrodes for lithium battery cells are made by coating micrometer-size anode or cathode material particles with aggregates of smaller conductive carbon black particles in two mixing steps, using a liquid dispersant in each step for the mixing particles. A first portion of carbon black is vigorously mixed with the electrode particles to coat their surfaces with the smaller carbon black particles. A second portion of carbon black is less vigorously mixed with the initially coated electrode particles to form clusters of carbon black particles at the interfaces of the previously coated electrode particles. This two-step distribution of carbon black particles increases the power capacity of the porous electrode layer bonded to its current collector and increases the life of its battery cell.

Abstract: A first atmospheric plasma producing nozzle is used to direct a gas-borne stream of plasma heated and activated particles of lithium battery electrode material for deposition on a surface of lithium cell member, such as a separator or current collector foil. A second atmospheric plasma producing nozzle is used to direct a gas-borne stream of plasma heated and activated metal particles at the same surface area being coated with the stream of electrode material particles. The two plasma streams are combined at the cell member surface to form a layer of electrically-conductive metal-bonded particles of electrode material. The use of multiple atmospheric plasma streams is useful in making thin, efficient, and lower cost electrode structures for lithium batteries.