Sodium-based cells

Sodium is also a very reactive metal, and with a melting point even lower than that of lithium, presents in principle problems similar to those of lithium. However, the fortunate discovery of ceramic materials which show high stability to molten sodium together with good sodium ionic conductivity at high temperature has permitted the reliable fabrication of sodium-based cells. In some sodium high temperature cells, the liquid metal is housed in closed, shaped ceramic containers. In the others, the... 

Pharmacology Potassium participates in a number of essential physiological processes, such as maintenance of intracellular tonicity and a proper relationship with sodium across cell membranes, cellular metabolism, transmission of nerve impulses, contraction of cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle, acid-base balance, and maintenance of normal renal function. Normal potassium serum levels range from 3.5 to 5 mEq/L. 

Almost all practical sodium-sulphur cells are based on electrolytes formed as closed tubes. These are usually manufactured by isostatic pressing, or electrophoretic deposition of powdered /3-aluminas (or their precursors)... 

What makes the sodium-sulfur cell possible is a remarkable property of a compound called beta-alumina, which has the composition NaAlnOiy. Beta-alumina allows sodium ions to migrate through its structure very easily, but it blocks the passage of polysulfide ions. Therefore, it can function as a semipermeable medium like the membranes used in osmosis (see Section 11.5). Such an ion-conducting solid electrolyte is essential to prevent direct chemical reaction between sulfur and sodium. The lithium-sulfur battery operates on similar principles, and other solid electrolytes such as calcium fluoride, which permits ionic transport of fluoride ion, may find use in cells based on those elements. 

The alkali metals—lithium, sodium, and potassium—are logical choices for anodes in a sulfur-based electrochemical cell. All three have been incorporated into cells, and lithium and sodium remain under serious consideration. The lithium-sulfur combination is the topic of another chapter in this volume and will not be discussed further. Two types of sodium-sulfur cells have been constructed. One type uses thin-walled glass capillaries as a cell divider, and the other uses various sorts of ionically conducting sodium aluminate for this purpose. Of the two, the latter seems to hold the most promise and certainly has generated the most interest and enthusiasm (1). Because of the unique properties of the solid electrolyte cell separator this battery is also probably the most interesting from a purely scientific point of view. 

Manger, R. L., Leja, L. S., Lee, S. Y. et al., Tetrazolium-based cell bioassay for neurotoxins active on voltage-sensitive sodium channels semiautomated assay for saxitoxins, brevetoxins, and ciguatoxins, Anal. Biochem. 214, 190, 1993. 

If the lifetime of Li-based batteries (the term lithium ion batteries for batteries with polar Li-compounds as negative electrodes is very unfortunate) can be further enhanced, they will be also of importance for electrotraction. The classical battery type used in automobiles, viz, the lead-acid accumulator, is distinctly superior in terms of long-time stability but possesses too low an energy content per unit weight as to drive automobiles. Driving car of sensible size and performance with this alone requires a battery weight on the order of 11, (This problem is not removed by using Ni-Cd accumulators,) Much effort has been undertaken to develop a sodium-sulphur cell. In the Na-S cells ... 

That exosomes protect the payload within their lipid unilamellar membrane, as evidenced by miRNAs in microparticles that were sensitive to RNase only with the existence of phospholipase A2, sodium dodecyl sulfate-based cell lysis buffer or cyclodextrin. These data strongly indicate that direct protection of RNAs against RNase was a consequence of the cholesterol-rich phospholipid-based exosome (Chen et al., 2010). 

The performances of the Nafion and the hydroxide-ion-conduction membrane cells were compared for two cathode solutions (1) D1 water (18 Mil cm) saturated with carbon dioxide by continuous bubbling of the pure gas at a pressure of 1 atm and (2) 1 M sodium bicarbonate solution. As shown in Figure 10.13, the cell voltages with the hydroxide-ion membrane were found to decrease substantially upon changing the electrolyte from C02-saturated D1 water to 1 M sodium bicarbonate. However, the performance of the Nalion-based cell did not alter significantly for the same change in the cathode solution. This phenomenon can be ascribed to differences in ionic contact at the electrode/manhrane interface, as hydroxide-ion membrane is cross-linked and could not be hot pressed to improve the ionic contact. Thus, the use of a liquid electrolyte could substantially improve the ionic contact between the catalyst layer and the hydroxide-ion-conduction manbrane. 

The reduction potentials for the actinide elements ate shown in Figure 5 (12—14,17,20). These ate formal potentials, defined as the measured potentials corrected to unit concentration of the substances entering into the reactions they ate based on the hydrogen-ion-hydrogen couple taken as zero volts no corrections ate made for activity coefficients. The measured potentials were estabhshed by cell, equihbrium, and heat of reaction determinations. The potentials for acid solution were generally measured in 1 Af perchloric acid and for alkaline solution in 1 Af sodium hydroxide. Estimated values ate given in parentheses. 

An expandable anode involves compression of the anode stmcture using cHps during cell assembly so as not to damage the diaphragm already deposited on the cathode (Eig. 3a). When the cathode is in position on the anode base, 3-mm diameter spacers are placed over the cathode and the cHps removed from the anode. The spring-actuated anode surfaces then move outward to bear on the spacers, creating a controlled 3-mm gap between anode and cathode (Eig. 3b). This design has also been appHed to cells for the production of sodium chlorate (22). 

The U.S. domestic capacity of ammonium perchlorate is roughly estimated at 31,250 t/yr. The actual production varies, based on the requirements for soHd propellants. The 1994 production ran at about 11,200 t/yr, 36% of name plate capacity. Environmental effects of the decomposition products, which result from using soHd rocket motors based on ammonium perchlorate-containing propellants, are expected to keep increasing pubHc pressure until consumption is reduced and alternatives are developed. The 1995 price of ammonium perchlorate is in the range of 1.05/kg. Approximately 450 t/yr of NH ClO -equivalent cell Hquor is sold to produce magnesium and lithium perchlorate for use in the production of batteries (113). Total U.S. domestic sales and exports for sodium perchlorate are about 900 t/yr. In 1995, a solution containing 64% NaClO was priced at ca 1.00/kg dry product was also available at 1.21/kg. 

The Class I antiarrhythmic agents inactivate the fast sodium channel, thereby slowing the movement of Na" across the cell membrane (1,2). This is reflected as a decrease in the rate of development of phase 0 (upstroke) depolarization of the action potential (1,2). The Class I agents have potent local anesthetic effects. These compounds have been further subdivided into Classes lA, IB, and IC based on recovery time from blockade of sodium channels (11). Class IB agents have the shortest recovery times (t1 ) Class lA compounds have moderate recovery times (t 2 usually <9 s) and Class IC have the longest recovery times (t 2 usually >9 s). 

The ZEBRA battery is a high-energy battery based on a cell with electrodes of sodium and metal chloride. The ZEBRA system was first described by Coetzer in 1986 12J. 

Nickel chloride is preferred and ZEBRA batteries are based today on nickel chloride and sodium. According to the very simple cell reaction... 

There seem to be many binary metallic systems in which there are phases of this sort. In the sodium-lead system there are two such phases. One of them, based on the ideal structure Na3Pb, extends from 27 to 30 atomic percent lead, with its maximum at about 28 atomic percent lead and the other, corresponding to the ideal composition NaPb3, extends from 68 to 72 atomic percent lead, with maximum at about 70 atomic percent. The intensities of X-ray reflection have verified that in the second of these phases sodium atoms occupy the positions 0, 0, 0, and the other three positions in the unit cell are occupied by lead atoms isomorphously replaced to some extent by sodium atoms (Zintl Harder, 1931). These two phases are interesting in that the ranges of stability do not include the pure compounds Na8Pb and NaPb3. 

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