{"195931":{"#nid":"195931","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Neutron Scattering Technique Provides New Data on Adsorption of Ions in Microporous Materials","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe adsorption of ions in microporous materials governs the operation of technologies as diverse as water desalination, energy storage, sensing and mechanical actuation. Until now, however, researchers attempting to improve the performance of these technologies haven\u2019t been able to directly and unambiguously identify how factors such as pore size, pore surface chemistry and electrolyte properties affect the concentration of ions in these materials as a function of the applied potential.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo provide the needed information, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have demonstrated that a technique known as small angle neutron scattering (SANS) can be used to study the effects of ions moving into nanoscale pores. Believed to be the first application of the SANS technique for studying ion surface adsorption in-situ, details of the research were reported recently in the journal \u003Cem\u003EAngewandte Chemie International Edition\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing conductive nanoporous carbon, the researchers conducted proof-of-concept experiments to measure changes in the adsorption of hydrogen ions in pores of different sizes within the same material due to variations in solvent properties and applied electrical potential. Systematic studies performed with such a technique could ultimately help identify the optimal pore size, surface chemistry and electrolyte solvent properties necessary for either maximizing or minimizing the adsorption of ions under varying conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe need to understand this system better so we can predict the kind of surface chemistry required and the kinds of solvents needed to control the levels of ion penetration and adsorption in pores of different sizes,\u201d said Gleb Yushin, an associate professor in the Georgia Tech School of Materials Science and Engineering. \u201cUnderstanding these processes better could lead to the development of improved energy storage, water purification and desalination systems. This new experimental methodology may also give us paths to better understand ion transport in biological systems and contribute to the development of improved drugs and artificial organs.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research was supported partially by the U.S. Army Research Office, the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe advantage of neutron scattering is that it can be used to study real systems,\u201d said Yushin. \u201cYou can study most electrode materials and electrolyte combinations as long as they have a high sensitivity for neutron scattering.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYushin and his collaborators \u2013 Georgia Tech graduate research assistant Sofiane Boukhalfa, and Oak Ridge scientists Yuri Melnichenko and Lilin He \u2013 conducted the research using ORNL\u2019s High Flux Isotope Reactor, which produces a beam of high-energy neutrons. Their experimental setup allowed them to immerse activated carbon fabric samples \u2013 each sample containing pores of different sizes \u2013 in different electrolyte materials while varying the applied electrical potential.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy measuring how the neutron beam was scattered when it passed through the carbon fabric and electrolytes, the researchers could determine how the solvent, pore size and electrical potential affected the average ion concentration in the carbon material samples.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou can learn whether the ions get adsorbed into small pores or large pores by simply comparing the changes in the neutron scattering,\u201d Yushin explained. \u201cThis experimental technique allows us to independently change the surface chemistry to see how that affects the ion concentrations, and we can use different solvents to observe how the interaction between electrolyte and pore walls affects the ion adsorption in pores of different sizes. We can further identify exactly where the ion adsorption takes place even when no potential is applied to an electrode.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEarlier work in this area had not provided clear results.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere have been multiple prior studies on the pore size effect, but different research groups worldwide have obtained contradictory results depending on the material selection and the model used to determine the specific surface area and pore size distribution in carbon electrodes,\u201d Yushin said. \u201cNeutron scattering should help us clarify existing controversies. We have already observed that depending on the solvent-pore wall interactions, either enhanced or reduced ion electro-adsorption may take place in sub-nanometer pores.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn their experiments, the researchers used two different electrolytes: water containing sulfuric acid and deuterium oxide \u2013 also known as heavy water \u2013 which also contained sulfuric acid. The two were chosen for the proof-of-concept experiments, though a wide range of other hydrogen-containing electrolytes could also be used.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow that the technique has been shown to work, Yushin would like to expand the experimentation to develop better fundamental understanding about the complex interactions of solvent, ions and pore walls under applied potential. That could allow development of a model that could guide the design of future systems that depend on ion transport and adsorption.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOnce you gain the fundamental knowledge from SANS experiments, predictive theoretical models could be developed that would guide the synthesis of the optimal structures for these applications,\u201d he said. \u201cOnce you clearly understand the structure-property relationships, you can use materials science approaches to design and synthesize the optimal material with the desired properties.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInformation developed through the research could lead to improvements in supercapacitors and hybrid battery-capacitor devices for rapidly growing applications in hybrid electrical vehicles, energy efficient industrial equipment, smart grid-distributed energy storage, hybrid-electric and electrical ships, high-power energy storage for wind power and uninterruptible power supplies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was partially supported by the Georgia Institute of Technology and the U.S. Army Research Office under contract number W911NF-12-1-0259. The research at ORNL\u2019s High Flux Isotope Reactor was sponsored by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program and the Scientific User Facilities Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy. The conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the U.S. Army Research Office or the Department of Energy.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Boukhalfa, S., et al., \u201cSmall-Angle Neutron Scattering for In Situ Probing of Ion Adsorption Inside Micropores.\u201d Angew. Chem. Int. Ed (2013). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.dx.doi.org\/10.1002\/anie.21209141\u0022 title=\u0022http:\/\/www.dx.doi.org\/10.1002\/anie.21209141\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.dx.doi.org\/10.1002\/anie.21209141\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have demonstrated the use of a technique known as small angle neutron scattering (SANS) to study the effects of ions moving into nanoscale pores. The study is believed to be the first application of the SANS technique for studying ion surface adsorption in-situ.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have demonstrated the use of small angle neutron scattering (SANS) to study the effects of ions moving into nanoscale pores."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2013-02-27 18:31:51","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:13:44","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-02-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2013-02-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"195891":{"id":"195891","type":"image","title":"Studying ion adsorption","body":null,"created":"1449179906","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:58:26","changed":"1475894846","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:26","alt":"Studying ion adsorption","file":{"fid":"196416","name":"ion-adsorption3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ion-adsorption3_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ion-adsorption3_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1648791,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ion-adsorption3_0.jpg?itok=du25itk8"}},"195901":{"id":"195901","type":"image","title":"Studying ion adsorption2","body":null,"created":"1449179906","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:58:26","changed":"1475894846","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:26","alt":"Studying ion adsorption2","file":{"fid":"196417","name":"ion-adsorption42a.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ion-adsorption42a_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ion-adsorption42a_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":645453,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ion-adsorption42a_0.jpg?itok=7vJFcLLq"}},"195911":{"id":"195911","type":"image","title":"Neutron scattering schematic","body":null,"created":"1449179906","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:58:26","changed":"1475894846","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:26","alt":"Neutron scattering schematic","file":{"fid":"196418","name":"ion-adsorption-schematic.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ion-adsorption-schematic_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ion-adsorption-schematic_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":478414,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ion-adsorption-schematic_0.jpg?itok=plN-Agn0"}}},"media_ids":["195891","195901","195911"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14251","name":"Gleb Yushin"},{"id":"7019","name":"ion"},{"id":"60001","name":"ion adsorption"},{"id":"60021","name":"microporous materials"},{"id":"60011","name":"neutron scattering"},{"id":"167535","name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}