Ultra-thin sealed lead-acid batteries
The structure and performance of the world's first ultra-thin sealed lead-acid batteries are described. The batteries are 0.65 mm thick, the thinnest ever achieved, and are made possible by a new electrode structure. In a conventional battery, the separator is sandwiched between the positive and negative electrodes. In the new battery structure, however, the positive electrode, electrolyte, and negative electrode are arranged on the same plane. Movement of the battery reaction sites during charge/discharge is parallel to the main surface of the electrode. Consequently, the new battery structure offers significant advantages in regard to life performance. Batteries utilizing this new structure have a long life of over 400 cycles, and good performance of the charge/discharge characteristics. In addition, a variety of different batteries can be manufactured using screen patterns. By using the techniques described above, the thickness of a sealed lead-acid battery can be reduced to less than one seventh of that of a conventional one, without performance degradation.<<ETX>>
High-capacity thin sealed lead-acid battery
The authors have developed a battery structure to achieve an ultra-thin sealed lead-acid battery with nondegrading performance. A thin and high-capacity sealed lead-acid battery utilizing the developed battery structure is described. To develop high-capacity batteries, several problems must be overcome. They include the establishment of a printing method to print thick lead paste layers precisely, and a technique to improve the bonding force between the active material and the collector. Consequently, the capacity of the batteries is 700 mAh, and its thickness is, respectively, 1.0 mm and 2.2 mm. In addition, these batteries have a life of over 400 cycles, and have achieved an energy density over 100 Wh/L.<<ETX>>
Correlation of the Upper Cretaceous White Chalk (Turonian to Campanian) in the Anglo-Paris Basin
Using key lithological, biostratigraphic and geophysical borehole-log markers a correlation of the Upper Cretaceous Chalk stratigraphies across the whole Anglo-Paris Basin has been achieved. A common lithological marker bed stratigraphy applies and key fossil markers (inoceramids, Micraster and Echinocorys ) are consistently related to the same lithological markers throughout the basin. The major lithological changes consistently occur at the same levels but are not necessarily equally strongly developed. The magnificent dip section along the French Channel coast between the Somme and the Seine, and the inland sections at Precy-sur-Oise and Verlin (Loiret) illustrate the influence of long-lived tectonic lines on Chalk sedimentation history recognised by: (i) rapid thickness variations; (ii) channel flooring hardgrounds and associated anomalous bedding dips: (iii) stratigraphically anomalous infills of channels which may be metres to kilometres across; (iv) redeposited chalks containing abundant Bathichnus paramoudrae ; (v) tectonically induced slumps and slides with flint and chalk shatter beds (palaeoseismic horizons). These features are found along may axes including the Anticlinal du Bray at Precy and Dieppe, the Anticlinal de Margny-les-Compiegne at Nourard le-Franc and Le Treport (the Bresle Valley Axis) and the Fecamp and Verlin fault systems. The ‘events’ recognised along these axes link with similar events recognised in Sussex (e.g. Kingston Anticline), on Portsdown, at Culver Cliff, Isle of Wight (Sandown Pericline) and on the Weymouth Anticline (White Nothe). Such events are common in the high Turonian, low Coniacian, basal Santonian, and the low and mid Campanian. The recurrence of key marker beds dominated by a particular trace fossil association or sequence, Bathichnus-Thalassinoides suevicus-Zoophycos associated with major changes in lithology, micro and macro-fauna indicates more widespread ‘oceanographic’ cycles of transgression and regression related to Atlantic opening.