A scalable, robust, and highly oriented flexible composite film inspired by a "brick-mortar" pillared structure for lithium ion batteries.

Macro-assembled silicon-based films can be taken into account as a possible anode material for the lithium ion batteries (LIBs) in portable electronics. However, most previously proposed preparation strategies are labor-intensive, intricate, and not appropriate for large-scale manufacturing. Herein, a multifunctional flexible silicon/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide (Si/CNT/rGO) film was fabricated by one-step coating method based on the lyotropic nematic liquid crystals of graphene oxide (GO).

"Fence" Effect Enabling a Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Single-Atom Co-N-C Catalyst for High-Performance Zn-Air Batteries.

It offers bright prospects to develop non-Pt group metal (non-PGM) electrocatalysts in the area of energy storage and conversion. Herein, we reported a simple spatial isolation strategy to synthesize Co-based electrocatalysts, using partially substituted Zn atoms in a ZnCo-ZIF precursor. The "fence" effect that originated from the partially substituted Zn atoms can yield a better isolation of Co atoms, achieving selective loading of Co species on nitrogen-doped porous carbon varying from nanoparticles to single atoms.

Cascade Performance of Nitroarenes with Alcohols Boosted by a Hollow Flying Saucer-Shaped Ni-AlO Catalyst via a MOF-Templated Strategy Induced by the Kirkendall Effect.

Catalysts with an open hollow structure can enhance the mass transfer capability of the catalyst during the reaction process, thereby further improving the catalytic performance. In this work, uniform and monodisperse flying-squircher-shaped Al-MOFs were synthesized via a solvothermal method. Furthermore, a hollow structure AlO-supported metallic Ni catalyst (termed Ni-AlO-HFA) was synthesized via the Kirkendall effect for the hydrogenation-alkylation cascade reaction by employing as-synthesized Al-MOFs as a carrier for impregnation of Ni(NO)·6HO through further calcination and reduction.

Mechanistic Insights into a Co(II)-Coordinated "Free" Metal Site of 2D Zinc-Based MOFs for β-Alkylation of Secondary Alcohols with Primary Alcohols.

Through in-depth study of the properties and reaction mechanisms of catalysts, it is possible to better optimize catalytic systems and improve reaction efficiency and selectivity. This remains one of the challenges in the field of catalysis. Therefore, the research and design of catalysts play crucial roles in understanding and optimizing catalytic reaction mechanisms.

Ultrafine FeF·0.33HO Nanocrystal-Doped Graphene Aerogel Cathode Materials for Advanced Lithium-Ion Batteries.

FeF has been extensively studied as an alternative positive material owing to its superior specific capacity and low cost, but the low conductivity, large volume variation, and slow kinetics seriously hinder its commercialization. Here, we propose the in situ growth of ultrafine FeF·0.33HO NPs on a three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (3D RGO) aerogel with abundant pores by a facile freeze drying process followed by thermal annealing and fluorination.

Recent Advances in Solid-Electrolyte Interphase for Li Metal Anode.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are considered to be a substitute for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and the next-generation battery with high energy density. However, the commercialization of LMBs is seriously impeded by the uncontrollable growth of dangerous lithium dendrites during long-term cycling. The generation and growth of lithium dendrites are mainly derived from the unstable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer on the metallic lithium anode.

Rational design of nano-FeOencapsulated in 3D honeycomb biochar for enhanced lithium storage performance.

Developing green materials applied in lithium-ion batteries is of significant importance for the present-day society. Herein, a feasible strategy to construct FeOnanoparticles (NPs) embedded in three-dimensional (3D) honeycomb biochar derived from pleurotus eryngii was proposed. The obtained material consists of FeONPs (35-85 nm) encapsulated in 3D honeycomb biochar possesses a high specific capacity of 723 mAh gat 1.

Elastic, electronic and optical properties of new 2D and 3D boron nitrides.

The current work investigates a novel three-dimensional boron nitride called bulk BN and its corresponding two-dimensional monolayer BN based on the first-principles of density functional theory. The phonon spectra prove that bulk BN and monolayer BN are dynamically stable. The molecular dynamics simulations verify that bulk BN and monolayer BN have excellent thermal stability of withstanding temperature up to 1000 K.

Electronic structures and physical properties of double perovskite ACoNbO (A = Sr, Ba) crystals.

The crystal structures, mechanical properties, lattice dynamics, electronic structures and optical properties of SrCoNbO and BaCoNbO have been studied by the first principles of density functional theory. The theoretically obtained crystal parameters of SrCoNbO and BaCoNbO are consistent with their experimental ones. Both SrCoNbO and BaCoNbO belong to the [Formula: see text] space group at the low-temperature limit and have very weak elastic anisotropy.

Exosomal microRNAs in giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) breast milk: potential maternal regulators for the development of newborn cubs.

The physiological role of miRNAs is widely understood to include fine-tuning the post-transcriptional regulation of a wide array of biological processes. Extensive studies have indicated that exosomal miRNAs in the bodily fluids of various organisms can be transferred between living cells for the delivery of gene silencing signals. Here, we illustrated the expression characteristics of exosomal miRNAs in giant panda breast milk during distinct lactation periods and highlighted the enrichment of immune- and development-related endogenous miRNAs in colostral and mature giant panda milk.

Differential expression of genes related to glucose metabolism in domesticated pigs and wild boar.

Glucose metabolism is a basic biological process that shows substantial variation within and between species. Using pig as a model organism, we investigated differences in glucose metabolic genes in seven tissues from domesticated pigs (Rongchang pig and Tibetan pig, meanwhile, the Tibetan pig just as a special case of the domesticated pig under plateau condition) and wild boar. We found large differences in the expression of genes involved in multiple aspects of glucose metabolism, including genes associated with glucose transport, gluconeogenesis, and glycolysis.

One-Pot Synthesis of Pomegranate-Structured Fe3 O4 /Carbon Nanospheres-Doped Graphene Aerogel for High-Rate Lithium Ion Batteries.

A unique hierarchically nanostructured composite of iron oxide/carbon (Fe3O4/C) nanospheres-doped three-dimensional (3D) graphene aerogel has been fabricated by a one-pot hydrothermal strategy. In this novel nanostructured composite aerogel, uniform Fe3O4 nanocrystals (5-10 nm) are individually embedded in carbon nanospheres (ca. 50 nm) forming a pomegranate-like structure.

Synthesis of Hierarchical Nanoporous Microstructures via the Kirkendall Effect in Chemical Reduction Process.

A series of novel hierarchical nanoporous microstructures have been synthesized through one-step chemical reduction of micron size Cu2O and Co3O4 particles. By controlling the reduction time, non-porous Cu2O microcubes sequentially transform to nanoporous Cu/Cu2O/Cu dented cubic composites and hollow eightling-like Cu microparticles. The mechanism involved in the complex structural evolution is explained based on oxygen diffusion and Kirkendall effect.

Low temperature crystallization of transparent, highly ordered nanoporous SnO₂ thin films: application to room-temperature hydrogen sensing.

High surface area highly ordered nanoporous thin films are the current gold standard for gas sensor use, however the nanostructure of such films is prone to collapse at annealing temperatures as low as 250 °C resulting in formation of a dense layer of limited utility. We report on a templating method used to deposit highly ordered nanoporous platinum (Pt)-doped tin dioxide (SnO(2)) thin films that are crystallized by a 100 °C water vapor hydrothermal treatment, with the low temperature process being compatible with a large variety of substrates including plastic. The resulting highly ordered nanoporous, transparent Pt-SnO(2) thin films are mechanically stable and can be annealed, as desired, at temperatures up to 800 °C for removal of the templating materials and tailoring of gas sensitivities without damage to the nanoporous structure.