Bipolar Membranes to Promote Formation of Tight Ice-Like Water for Efficient and Sustainable Water Splitting.

Bipolar membranes (BPMs) have recently received much attention for their potential to improve the water dissociation reaction (WDR) at their junction by utilizing catalysts. Herein, composite catalysts (Fe O @GO) comprising hematite nanoparticles (α-Fe O ) grown on 2D graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets are reported, which show unprecedentedly high water dissociation performance in the BPM. Furthermore, new catalytic roles in facilitating WDR at the catalyst-water interface are mechanistically elucidated.

An artificial solid interphase with polymers of intrinsic microporosity for highly stable Li metal anodes.

Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) have an appropriate pore size to reduce the solvation number of Li ions in electrolytes. This unique pore structure of PIM-1 as a solid interphase can suppress transport of solvent and consequently unwanted chemical reactions at the interface of anodes, thereby extending the cycle life of Li metal anodes.