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Park H, Kang M, Lee D, Park J, Kang SJ, Kang B. Activating reversible carbonate reactions in Nasicon solid electrolyte-based Na-air battery via in-situ formed catholyte. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2952. [PMID: 38580640 PMCID: PMC10997774 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47415-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Out of practicality, ambient air rather than oxygen is preferred as a fuel in electrochemical systems, but CO2 and H2O present in air cause severe irreversible reactions, such as the formation of carbonates and hydroxides, which typically degrades performance. Herein, we report on a Na-air battery enabled by a reversible carbonate reaction (Na2CO3·xH2O, x = 0 or 1) in Nasicon solid electrolyte (Na3Zr2Si2PO12) that delivers a much higher discharge potential of 3.4 V than other metal-air batteries resulting in high energy density and achieves > 86 % energy efficiency at 0.1 mA cm-2 over 100 cycles. This cell design takes advantage of moisture in ambient air to form an in-situ catholyte via the deliquescent property of NaOH. As a result, not only reversible electrochemical reaction of Na2CO3·xH2O is activated but also its kinetics is facilitated. Our results demonstrate the reversible use of free ambient air as a fuel, enabled by the reversible electrochemical reaction of carbonates with a solid electrolyte.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heetaek Park
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongamro, Namgu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, South Korea
| | - Minseok Kang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongamro, Namgu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, South Korea
| | - Donghun Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongamro, Namgu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, South Korea
| | - Jaehyun Park
- Department of Energy Engineering School of Energy and Chemical Engineering Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) 50 UNIST-gil, Ulsan, 44919, South Korea
| | - Seok Ju Kang
- Department of Energy Engineering School of Energy and Chemical Engineering Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) 50 UNIST-gil, Ulsan, 44919, South Korea
| | - Byoungwoo Kang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongamro, Namgu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, South Korea.
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2
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Choe G, Kim H, Kwon J, Jung W, Park KY, Kim YT. Re-evaluation of battery-grade lithium purity toward sustainable batteries. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1185. [PMID: 38332123 PMCID: PMC10853534 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44812-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Recently, the cost of lithium-ion batteries has risen as the price of lithium raw materials has soared and fluctuated. Notably, the highest cost of lithium production comes from the impurity elimination process to satisfy the battery-grade purity of over 99.5%. Consequently, re-evaluating the impact of purity becomes imperative for affordable lithium-ion batteries. In this study, we unveil that a 1% Mg impurity in the lithium precursor proves beneficial for both the lithium production process and the electrochemical performance of resulting cathodes. This is attributed to the increased nucleation seeds and unexpected site-selective doping effects. Moreover, when extended to an industrial scale, low-grade lithium is found to reduce production costs and CO2 emissions by up to 19.4% and 9.0%, respectively. This work offers valuable insights into the genuine sustainability of lithium-ion batteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gogwon Choe
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungsub Kim
- Neutron Science Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), 111 Daedeok-daero 989 Beon-Gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34057, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaesub Kwon
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Woochul Jung
- Lithium Materials Research Group, Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (RIST), 67 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kyu-Young Park
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Republic of Korea.
- Graduate Institute of Ferrous & Energy Materials Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yong-Tae Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Republic of Korea.
- Graduate Institute of Ferrous & Energy Materials Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Lee JC, Kim SY, Song J, Jang H, Kim M, Kim H, Choi SQ, Kim S, Jolly P, Kang T, Park S, Ingber DE. Micrometer-thick and porous nanocomposite coating for electrochemical sensors with exceptional antifouling and electroconducting properties. Nat Commun 2024; 15:711. [PMID: 38331881 PMCID: PMC10853525 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44822-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Development of coating technologies for electrochemical sensors that consistently exhibit antifouling activities in diverse and complex biological environments over extended time is vital for effective medical devices and diagnostics. Here, we describe a micrometer-thick, porous nanocomposite coating with both antifouling and electroconducting properties that enhances the sensitivity of electrochemical sensors. Nozzle printing of oil-in-water emulsion is used to create a 1 micrometer thick coating composed of cross-linked albumin with interconnected pores and gold nanowires. The layer resists biofouling and maintains rapid electron transfer kinetics for over one month when exposed directly to complex biological fluids, including serum and nasopharyngeal secretions. Compared to a thinner (nanometer thick) antifouling coating made with drop casting or a spin coating of the same thickness, the thick porous nanocomposite sensor exhibits sensitivities that are enhanced by 3.75- to 17-fold when three different target biomolecules are tested. As a result, emulsion-coated, multiplexed electrochemical sensors can carry out simultaneous detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid, antigen, and host antibody in clinical specimens with high sensitivity and specificity. This thick porous emulsion coating technology holds promise in addressing hurdles currently restricting the application of electrochemical sensors for point-of-care diagnostics, implantable devices, and other healthcare monitoring systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Chan Lee
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Su Yeong Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jayeon Song
- Bionanotechnology Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Hyowon Jang
- Bionanotechnology Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hanul Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Siyoung Q Choi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunjoo Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Pawan Jolly
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Taejoon Kang
- Bionanotechnology Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon-si, Gyeongi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea.
| | - Steve Park
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Donald E Ingber
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
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4
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Pagire HS, Pagire SH, Jeong BK, Choi WI, Oh CJ, Lim CW, Kim M, Yoon J, Kim SS, Bae MA, Jeon JH, Song S, Lee HJ, Lee EY, Goughnour PC, Kim D, Lee IK, Loomba R, Kim H, Ahn JH. Discovery of a peripheral 5HT 2A antagonist as a clinical candidate for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:645. [PMID: 38245505 PMCID: PMC10799935 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44874-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) is currently the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), an advanced form of MASLD, can progress to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Based on recent findings by our team that liver 5HT2A knockout male mice suppressed steatosis and reduced fibrosis-related gene expression, we developed a peripheral 5HT2A antagonist, compound 11c for MASH. It shows good in vitro activity, stability, and in vivo pharmacokinetics (PK) in rats and dogs. Compound 11c also shows good in vivo efficacy in a diet-induced obesity (DIO) male mice model and in a choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD) male mice model, effectively improving histologic features of MASH and fibrosis. According to the tissue distribution study using [14C]-labeled 11c, the compound was determined to be a peripheral 5HT2A antagonist. Collectively, first-in-class compound 11c shows promise as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of MASLD and MASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haushabhau S Pagire
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
- JD Bioscience Inc., TJS Knowledge Industrial Center Suite 801, 208 Beon-gil Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61011, Republic of Korea
| | - Suvarna H Pagire
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
- JD Bioscience Inc., TJS Knowledge Industrial Center Suite 801, 208 Beon-gil Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61011, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Kwan Jeong
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Il Choi
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Joo Oh
- Research Institute of Aging and Metabolism, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, 41404, Republic of Korea
| | - Chae Won Lim
- Leading-edge Research Center for Drug Discovery and Development for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, 41404, Republic of Korea
| | - Minhee Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihyeon Yoon
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Soon Kim
- Bio & Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Korea
| | - Myung Ae Bae
- Bio & Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Korea
| | - Jae-Han Jeon
- Research Institute of Aging and Metabolism, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, 41404, Republic of Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, 41404, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungmin Song
- JD Bioscience Inc., TJS Knowledge Industrial Center Suite 801, 208 Beon-gil Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61011, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Jong Lee
- JD Bioscience Inc., TJS Knowledge Industrial Center Suite 801, 208 Beon-gil Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61011, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Young Lee
- JD Bioscience Inc., TJS Knowledge Industrial Center Suite 801, 208 Beon-gil Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61011, Republic of Korea
| | - Peter C Goughnour
- JD Bioscience Inc., TJS Knowledge Industrial Center Suite 801, 208 Beon-gil Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61011, Republic of Korea
| | - Dooseop Kim
- JD Bioscience Inc., TJS Knowledge Industrial Center Suite 801, 208 Beon-gil Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61011, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Kyu Lee
- Research Institute of Aging and Metabolism, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, 41404, Republic of Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
| | - Rohit Loomba
- NAFLD Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Hail Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
- Biomedical Research Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jin Hee Ahn
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea.
- JD Bioscience Inc., TJS Knowledge Industrial Center Suite 801, 208 Beon-gil Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61011, Republic of Korea.
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5
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Im J, Cheong SH, Dang HT, Kim NK, Hwang S, Lee KB, Kim K, Lee H, Lee U. Economically viable co-production of methanol and sulfuric acid via direct methane oxidation. Commun Chem 2023; 6:282. [PMID: 38123721 PMCID: PMC10733281 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-023-01080-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The direct oxidation of methane to methanol has been spotlighted research for decades, but has never been commercialized. This study introduces cost-effective process for co-producing methanol and sulfuric acid through a direct oxidation of methane. In the initial phase, methane oxidation forms methyl bisulfate (CH3OSO3H), then transformed into methyl trifluoroacetate (CF3CO2CH3) via esterification, and hydrolyzed into methanol. This approach eliminates the need for energy-intensive separation of methyl bisulfate from sulfuric acid by replacing the former with methyl trifluoroacetate. Through the superstructure optimization, our sequential process reduces the levelized cost of methanol to nearly two-fold reduction from the current market price. Importantly, this process demonstrates adaptability to smaller gas fields, assuring its economical operation across a broad range of gas fields. The broader application of this process could substantially mitigate global warming by utilizing methane, leading to a significantly more sustainable and economically beneficial methanol industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaehyung Im
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Hyeon Cheong
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Energy & Environmental Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology, 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Huyen Tran Dang
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Energy & Environmental Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology, 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Nak-Kyoon Kim
- Advanced Analysis Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungwon Hwang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Bong Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeongsu Kim
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyunjoo Lee
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Division of Energy & Environmental Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology, 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ung Lee
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Song M, Kim Y, Baek DS, Kim HY, Gu DH, Li H, Cunning BV, Yang SE, Heo SH, Lee S, Kim M, Lim JS, Jeong HY, Yoo JW, Joo SH, Ruoff RS, Kim JY, Son JS. 3D microprinting of inorganic porous materials by chemical linking-induced solidification of nanocrystals. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8460. [PMID: 38123571 PMCID: PMC10733400 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44145-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) microprinting is considered a next-generation manufacturing process for the production of microscale components; however, the narrow range of suitable materials, which include mainly polymers, is a critical issue that limits the application of this process to functional inorganic materials. Herein, we develop a generalised microscale 3D printing method for the production of purely inorganic nanocrystal-based porous materials. Our process is designed to solidify all-inorganic nanocrystals via immediate dispersibility control and surface linking-induced interconnection in the nonsolvent linker bath and thereby creates multibranched gel networks. The process works with various inorganic materials, including metals, semiconductors, magnets, oxides, and multi-materials, not requiring organic binders or stereolithographic equipment. Filaments with a diameter of sub-10 μm are printed into designed complex 3D microarchitectures, which exhibit full nanocrystal functionality and high specific surface areas as well as hierarchical porous structures. This approach provides the platform technology for designing functional inorganics-based porous materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minju Song
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonkyum Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Du San Baek
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho Young Kim
- Hydrogen·Fuel Cell Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 14-gil 5 Hwarang-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Da Hwi Gu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Haiyang Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Gyeongsangbuk-do, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Benjamin V Cunning
- Center for Multidimensional Carbon Materials (CMCM), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Eun Yang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hwae Heo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Gyeongsangbuk-do, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghyun Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Minhyuk Kim
- Graduate School of Semiconductor Materials and Devices Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - June Sung Lim
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hu Young Jeong
- Graduate School of Semiconductor Materials and Devices Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Woo Yoo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Hoon Joo
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Rodney S Ruoff
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
- Center for Multidimensional Carbon Materials (CMCM), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Young Kim
- Hydrogen·Fuel Cell Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 14-gil 5 Hwarang-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jae Sung Son
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Gyeongsangbuk-do, 37673, Republic of Korea.
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7
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Lee GR, Kim J, Hong D, Kim YJ, Jang H, Han HJ, Hwang CK, Kim D, Kim JY, Jung YS. Efficient and sustainable water electrolysis achieved by excess electron reservoir enabling charge replenishment to catalysts. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5402. [PMID: 37669945 PMCID: PMC10480199 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41102-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Suppressing the oxidation of active-Ir(III) in IrOx catalysts is highly desirable to realize an efficient and durable oxygen evolution reaction in water electrolysis. Although charge replenishment from supports can be effective in preventing the oxidation of IrOx catalysts, most supports have inherently limited charge transfer capability. Here, we demonstrate that an excess electron reservoir, which is a charged oxygen species, incorporated in antimony-doped tin oxide supports can effectively control the Ir oxidation states by boosting the charge donations to IrOx catalysts. Both computational and experimental analyses reveal that the promoted charge transfer driven by excess electron reservoir is the key parameter for stabilizing the active-Ir(III) in IrOx catalysts. When used in a polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzer, Ir catalyst on excess electron reservoir incorporated support exhibited 75 times higher mass activity than commercial nanoparticle-based catalysts and outstanding long-term stability for 250 h with a marginal degradation under a water-splitting current of 1 A cm-2. Moreover, Ir-specific power (74.8 kW g-1) indicates its remarkable potential for realizing gigawatt-scale H2 production for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyu Rac Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Kim
- Hydrogen·Fuel Cell Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 14-gil 5, Hwarang-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Doosun Hong
- Computational Science Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 14-gil 5, Hwarang-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye Ji Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Hanhwi Jang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeuk Jin Han
- Department of Environment and Energy Engineering, Sungshin Women's University, 55, Dobong-ro 76ga-gil, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, 01133, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Kyu Hwang
- Materials Architecturing Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 14-gil 5, Hwarang-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Donghun Kim
- Computational Science Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 14-gil 5, Hwarang-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jin Young Kim
- Hydrogen·Fuel Cell Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 14-gil 5, Hwarang-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yeon Sik Jung
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
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8
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Hyeon MH, Park HG, Lee J, Kong CI, Kim EY, Kim JH, Moon SY, Kim SK. Equilibrium shift, poisoning prevention, and selectivity enhancement in catalysis via dehydration of polymeric membranes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1673. [PMID: 36966133 PMCID: PMC10039873 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37298-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Generation of water as a byproduct in chemical reactions is often detrimental because it lowers the yield of the target product. Although several water removal methods, using absorbents, inorganic membranes, and additional dehydration reactions, have been proposed, there is an increasing demand for a stable and simple system that can selectively remove water over a wide range of reaction temperatures. Herein we report a thermally rearranged polybenzoxazole hollow fiber membrane with good water permselectivity and stability at reaction temperatures of up to 400 °C. Common reaction engineering challenges, such as those due to equilibrium limits, catalyst deactivation, and water-based side reactions, have been addressed using this membrane in a reactor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myeong-Hun Hyeon
- C1 Gas & Carbon Convergent Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Korea
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Hae-Gu Park
- C1 Gas & Carbon Convergent Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Korea
| | - Jongmyeong Lee
- C1 Gas & Carbon Convergent Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Korea
| | - Chang-In Kong
- C1 Gas & Carbon Convergent Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Korea
| | - Eun-Young Kim
- C1 Gas & Carbon Convergent Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Korea
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Jong Hak Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Su-Young Moon
- C1 Gas & Carbon Convergent Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Korea.
| | - Seok Ki Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499, Korea.
- Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499, Korea.
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9
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Jung JY, Woong Kim D, Kim DH, Joo Park T, Wehrspohn RB, Lee JH. Seebeck-voltage-triggered self-biased photoelectrochemical water splitting using HfO x/SiO x bi-layer protected Si photocathodes. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9132. [PMID: 31235765 PMCID: PMC6591395 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45672-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of a photoelectrochemical device is an efficient method of converting solar energy into hydrogen fuel via water splitting reactions. One of the best photoelectrode materials is Si, which absorbs a broad wavelength range of incident light and produces a high photocurrent level (~44 mA·cm-2). However, the maximum photovoltage that can be generated in single-junction Si devices (~0.75 V) is much lower than the voltage required for a water splitting reaction (>1.6 V). In addition, the Si surface is electrochemically oxidized or reduced when it comes into direct contact with the aqueous electrolyte. Here, we propose the hybridization of the photoelectrochemical device with a thermoelectric device, where the Seebeck voltage generated by the thermal energy triggers the self-biased water splitting reaction without compromising the photocurrent level at 42 mA cm-2. In this hybrid device p-Si, where the surface is protected by HfOx/SiOx bilayers, is used as a photocathode. The HfOx exhibits high corrosion resistance and protection ability, thereby ensuring stability. On applying the Seebeck voltage, the tunneling barrier of HfOx is placed at a negligible energy level in the electron transfer from Si to the electrolyte, showing charge transfer kinetics independent of the HfOx thickness. These findings serve as a proof-of-concept of the stable and high-efficiency production of hydrogen fuel by the photoelectrochemical-thermoelectric hybrid devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Young Jung
- Department of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Kyeonggi-do, 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae Woong Kim
- Department of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Kyeonggi-do, 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Hyung Kim
- Department of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Kyeonggi-do, 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Joo Park
- Department of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Kyeonggi-do, 15588, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ralf B Wehrspohn
- Institute of Physics, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS Walter-Hülse-Strasse 1, D06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Jung-Ho Lee
- Department of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Kyeonggi-do, 15588, Republic of Korea.
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10
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Kim JH, Ko TJ, Okogbue E, Han SS, Shawkat MS, Kaium MG, Oh KH, Chung HS, Jung Y. Centimeter-scale Green Integration of Layer-by-Layer 2D TMD vdW Heterostructures on Arbitrary Substrates by Water-Assisted Layer Transfer. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1641. [PMID: 30733454 PMCID: PMC6367468 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37219-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (2D TMD) layers present an unusually ideal combination of excellent opto-electrical properties and mechanical tolerance projecting high promise for a wide range of emerging applications, particularly in flexible and stretchable devices. The prerequisite for realizing such opportunities is to reliably integrate large-area 2D TMDs of well-defined dimensions on mechanically pliable materials with targeted functionalities by transferring them from rigid growth substrates. Conventional approaches to overcome this challenge have been limited as they often suffer from the non-scalable integration of 2D TMDs whose structural and chemical integrity are altered through toxic chemicals-involved processes. Herein, we report a generic and reliable strategy to achieve the layer-by-layer integration of large-area 2D TMDs and their heterostructure variations onto a variety of unconventional substrates. This new 2D layer integration method employs water only without involving any other chemicals, thus renders distinguishable advantages over conventional approaches in terms of material property preservation and integration size scalability. We have demonstrated the generality of this method by integrating a variety of 2D TMDs and their heterogeneously-assembled vertical layers on exotic substrates such as plastics and papers. Moreover, we have verified its technological versatility by demonstrating centimeter-scale 2D TMDs-based flexible photodetectors and pressure sensors which are difficult to fabricate with conventional approaches. Fundamental principles for the water-assisted spontaneous separation of 2D TMD layers are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Han Kim
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 32826, USA
| | - Tae-Jun Ko
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 32826, USA
| | - Emmanuel Okogbue
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 32826, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 32816, USA
| | - Sang Sub Han
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 32826, USA
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, South Korea
| | - Mashiyat Sumaiya Shawkat
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 32826, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 32816, USA
| | - Md Golam Kaium
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 32826, USA
| | - Kyu Hwan Oh
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, South Korea
| | - Hee-Suk Chung
- Analytical Research Division, Korea Basic Science Institute, Jeonju, 54907, South Korea
| | - Yeonwoong Jung
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 32826, USA.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 32816, USA.
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 32826, USA.
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11
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Song J, Lee M, Kim T, Na J, Jung Y, Jung GY, Kim S, Park N. A RNA producing DNA hydrogel as a platform for a high performance RNA interference system. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4331. [PMID: 30337586 PMCID: PMC6193956 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06864-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a mechanism in which small interfering RNA (siRNA) silences a target gene. Herein, we describe a DNA hydrogel capable of producing siRNA and interfering with protein expression. This RNAi-exhibiting gel (termed I-gel for interfering gel) consists of a plasmid carrying the gene transcribing siRNA against the target mRNA as part of the gel scaffold. The RNAi efficiency of the I-gel has been confirmed by green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression assay and RNA production quantification. The plasmid stability in the I-gel results in an 8-times higher transcription efficiency than that of the free plasmid. We further applied the I-gel to live cells and confirmed its effect in interfering with the GFP expression. The I-gel shows higher RNAi effect than plasmids in free form or complexed with Lipofectamine. This nanoscale hydrogel, which is able to produce RNA in a cell, provides a platform technology for efficient RNAi system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaejung Song
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam Ro, Nam Gu, 37673, Pohang, South Korea
| | - Minhyuk Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Myongji University, 116 Myongji Ro, Yongin, 17058, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Taeyoung Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Myongji University, 116 Myongji Ro, Yongin, 17058, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Jeongkyeong Na
- Department of Chemical Engineering, POSTECH, 77 Cheongam Ro, Nam Gu, 37673, Pohang, South Korea
| | - Yebin Jung
- Department of Chemistry, POSTECH, 77 Cheongam Ro, Nam Gu, 37673, Pohang, South Korea
| | - Gyoo Yeol Jung
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam Ro, Nam Gu, 37673, Pohang, South Korea
- Department of Chemical Engineering, POSTECH, 77 Cheongam Ro, Nam Gu, 37673, Pohang, South Korea
| | - Sungjee Kim
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam Ro, Nam Gu, 37673, Pohang, South Korea
- Department of Chemistry, POSTECH, 77 Cheongam Ro, Nam Gu, 37673, Pohang, South Korea
| | - Nokyoung Park
- Department of Chemistry, Myongji University, 116 Myongji Ro, Yongin, 17058, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
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12
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Lee JH, Doo G, Kwon SH, Choi S, Kim HT, Lee SG. Dispersion-Solvent Control of Ionomer Aggregation in a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10739. [PMID: 30013087 PMCID: PMC6048106 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28779-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we examined the influence of the dispersion solvent in three dipropylene-glycol/water (DPG/water) mixtures, with DPG contents of 0, 50, and 100 wt%, on ionomer morphology and distribution, using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and molecular-dynamics (MD) simulation techniques. The DLS results reveal that Nafion-ionomer aggregation increases with decreasing DPG content of the solvent. Increasing the proportion of water in the solvent also led to a gradual decrease in the radius of gyration (Rg) of the Nafion ionomer due to its strong backbone hydrophobicity. Correspondingly, MD simulations predict Nafion-ionomer solvation energies of -147 ± 9 kcal/mol in water, -216 ± 21 kcal/mol in the DPG/water mixture, and -444 ± 9 kcal/mol in DPG. These results suggest that higher water contents in mixed DPG/water solvents result in increased Nafion-ionomer aggregation and the subsequent deterioration of its uniform dispersion in the solvent. Moreover, radial distribution functions (RDFs) reveal that the (-CF2CF2-) backbones of the Nafion ionomer are primarily enclosed by DPG molecules, whereas the sulfonate groups (SO3-) of its side chains mostly interact with water molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hye Lee
- Department of Organic Material Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, 2, Busandaehak-ro 63beon gil, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Gisu Doo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Hyun Kwon
- Department of Organic Material Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, 2, Busandaehak-ro 63beon gil, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungyu Choi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Tak Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
- Advanced Battery Center, KAIST Institute for the NanoCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seung Geol Lee
- Department of Organic Material Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, 2, Busandaehak-ro 63beon gil, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea.
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