Root-Growth-Inspired Self-Morphology-Evolution of Microsized Bismuth Surrounded by Microsized Hard Carbon for Stabilized Sodium-Ion Storage.

Alloy-type materials are desirable for high-energy sodium-ion batteries. Different from nanoengineering with pre-reserving void space and confined carbon coatings, microsized particles promise high specific/volumetric capacities, easy manufacturing, and low cost but are prone to rapid capacity loss. Herein, inspired by the process of "root growth in soil", microsized Bi particles (µm-Bi, as "seeds") surrounded by microsized hard carbon particles (µm-HC, as "soil") are ingeniously dispersed through a simple mixing approach.

Optimizing Oxygen Redox Activity by Local Chemical Disorder toward Robust Co-Free Li-Rich Cathode with High Voltage Stability.

Despite extensive investigation on the lattice oxygen redox (LOR) in Li-rich cathodes, significant challenges remain in utilizing LOR activity without compromising structural and electrochemical stability. Related breakthroughs are hindered by the lack of understanding regarding how different LOR activity influences the structural evolution and electrochemical stability, and what is the optimal LOR activity. Herein, the degree of LOR activity is successfully regulated from 22% to 92% in Co-free Li-rich cathodes (LiMnNiO) by controlling local chemical disorder, and the relationship between LOR activity and cycling stability is revealed.

Enhancement of Overall Kinetics by Se-Br Chemistry in Rechargeable Li-S Batteries.

The sluggish kinetics of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries severely impedes the application in extreme conditions. Bridging the sulfur cathode and lithium anode, the electrolyte plays a crucial role in regulating kinetic behaviors of Li-S batteries. Herein, we report a multifunctional electrolyte additive of phenyl selenium bromide (PhSeBr) to simultaneously exert positive influences on both electrodes and the electrolyte.

Design principles of heterointerfacial redox chemistry for highly reversible lithium metal anode.

High electrochemical reversibility is required for the application of high-energy-density lithium (Li) metal batteries; however, inactive Li formation and SEI (solid electrolyte interface)-instability-induced electrolyte consumption cause low Coulombic efficiency (CE). The prior interfacial chemical designs in terms of alloying kinetics have been used to enhance the CE of Li metal anode; however, the role of its redox chemistry at heterointerfaces remains a mystery. Herein, the relationship between heterointerfacial redox chemistry and electrochemical transformation reversibility is investigated.

Stat3 Has a Different Role in Axon Growth During Development Than It Does in Axon Regeneration After Injury.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is essential for neural development and regeneration as a key transcription factor and mitochondrial activator. However, the mechanism of Stat3 in axon development and regeneration has not been fully understood. In this study, using zebrafish posterior lateral line (PLL) axons, we demonstrate that Stat3 plays distinct roles in PLL axon embryonic growth and regeneration.

Artificial Post-Cycled Structure Modulation Towards Highly Stable Li-Rich Layered Cathode.

High-capacity Li-rich layered oxides (LLOs) suffer from severe structure degradation due to the utilization of hybrid anion- and cation-redox activity. The native post-cycled structure, composed of progressively densified defective spinel layer (DSL) and intrinsic cations mixing, is deemed as the hindrance of the rapid and reversible de/intercalation of Li . Herein, the artificial post-cycled structure consisting of artificial DSL and inner cations mixing is in situ constructed, which would act as a shield against the irreversible oxygen emission and undesirable transition metal migration by suppressing anion redox activity and modulating cation mixing.

Coordinating ionic and electronic conductivity on 3D porous host enabling deep dense lithium deposition toward high-capacity lithium metal anodes.

Engineering composite lithium (Li) metal within three-dimensional (3D) porous skeleton hosts is a feasible strategy to tackle issues of uncontrollable dendrite growth and enormous volume change on Li metal anodes. Nevertheless, the accumulative Li deposition on the top surface of the 3D skeleton remains a harsh challenge that still requires effort. Herein, we develop a rational design involving an enriched-sparse LiF gradient on a Cu foam facile magnetron sputtering to coordinate ionic and electronic conductivity.

Composite NiCo O @CeO Microsphere as Cathode Catalyst for High-Performance Lithium-Oxygen Battery.

The large overpotential and poor cycle stability caused by inactive redox reactions are tough challenges for lithium-oxygen batteries (LOBs). Here, a composite microsphere material comprising NiCo O @CeO is synthesized via a hydrothermal approach followed by an annealing processing, which is acted as a high performance electrocatalyst for LOBs. The unique microstructured catalyst can provide enough catalytic surface to facilitate the barrier-free transport of oxygen as well as lithium ions.

Role of miR-584-5p in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Human Bronchial Epithelial Cell Inflammation and Apoptosis.

Acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome is a common clinical syndrome characterized by respiratory failure. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are closely related to ALI and acute respiratory distress syndrome. TargetScan software analysis showed that miR-584-5p can bind to the 3' noncoding region of , which is involved in the occurrence and development of ALI, thereby affecting the inflammatory pathway and inflammation development.

An Ultrahigh-Power Mesocarbon Microbeads|Na -Diglyme|Na V (PO ) Sodium-Ion Battery.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) show practical applications in large-scale energy storage systems. But, their power density is limited by the sluggish Na diffusion into the cathode and anode materials. Herein, the authors demonstrate a prototype of ultrahigh power SIB, consisting of the high-rate Na V (PO ) (NVP) cathode, graphite-type mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) anode, and Na -diglyme electrolyte.

Composition-dependent activity of ZnCdSe solid solution coupled with NiP nanosheets for visible-light-driven photocatalytic H generation.

Metal selenide semiconductors have been rarely used for photocatalytic water splitting because of their poor stability and severe photocorrosion properties. Hence, designing stable metal selenides with suitable bandgap energies has considerable practical significance in photocatalytic H evolution. In this work, a novel series of ZnCdSe (x = 0 ∼ 1) with tunable band structure were fabricated through a simple solvothermal method.

NiO Nanosheets Coupled With CdS Nanorods as 2D/1D Heterojunction for Improved Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

Designing low-cost, environment friendly, and highly active photocatalysts for water splitting is a promising path toward relieving energy issues. Herein, one-dimensional (1D) cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanorods are uniformly anchored onto two-dimensional (2D) NiO nanosheets to achieve enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The optimized 2D/1D NiO/CdS photocatalyst exhibits a remarkable boosted hydrogen generation rate of 1,300 μmol h g under visible light, which is more than eight times higher than that of CdS nanorods.

Metal-organic frameworks-derived hollow dodecahedral carbon combined with FeN moieties and ruthenium nanoparticles as cathode electrocatalyst for lithium oxygen batteries.

Owing to their high energy density, lithium-oxygen batteries (LOBs) have been drawn great attention as one of the promising electrochemical energy sources. However, the sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction/evolution reaction (ORR/OER) hamper the widespread application of LOBs. Herein, an elaborate designed catalysts which are constructed by FeN moieties dispersed on the network-like hollow dodecahedral carbon and then decorated with Ru nanoparticles (FeN-HDC@Ru).

Challenges and Recent Advances in High Capacity Li-Rich Cathode Materials for High Energy Density Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Li-rich cathode materials have attracted increasing attention because of their high reversible discharge capacity (>250 mA h g ), which originates from transition metal (TM) ion redox reactions and unconventional oxygen anion redox reactions. However, many issues need to be addressed before their practical applications, such as their low kinetic properties and inefficient voltage fading. The development of cutting-edge technologies has led to cognitive advances in theory and offer potential solutions to these problems.

Multiscale Deficiency Integration by Na-Rich Engineering for High-Stability Li-Rich Layered Oxide Cathodes.

Lithium-rich manganese-based (LRM) layered oxides are considered as one of the most promising cathode materials for next-generation high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of their high specific capacity (>250 mAh g). However, they also go through severe capacity decay, serious voltage fading, and poor rate capability during cycling. Herein, a multiscale deficiency integration, including surface coating, subsurface defect construction, and bulk doping, is realized in a LiMnNiCoO cathode material by facile Na-rich engineering through a sol-gel method.

Structure and properties of oxycellulose fabric crosslinked with soy protein.

Cotton is an important renewable biopolymer with extensive applications in various fields including textiles. In the current study a soy protein (SP) crosslinked cotton fabric (SPCCF) was prepared through the reaction of carboxyl cotton fabric with soy protein without using crosslinking agents. FTIR analysis of SPCCF samples indicated that carboxyl groups in oxycellulose fabric have reacted with amino groups of SP to give the corresponding C-N bond, that was also reconfirmed by XPS spectra and TGA/DTG analyses of the grafted fabrics.

Ideal shape of Fresnel lens for visible solar light concentration.

This paper presents theoretical research based on the optimal transmittance condition of a prism to find an ideal shape for Fresnel lenses to concentrate visible solar light. First, the ideal-shape equation was derived out through a simplified method that uses one refraction on the midline of a prism to replace the two refractions, respectively, on its upper and lower interfaces. It has been assumed that the Fresnel lens is thin enough to consider each prism as a point, then all the simplified points form a curve.

Cu@Ni core-shell nanoparticles prepared via an injection approach with enhanced oxidation resistance for the fabrication of conductive films.

Building core-shell structures is a valuable method of enhancing the oxidation-resistance performance of Cu nanoparticles for practical applications in the field of printed circuit boards. In this study, Cu@Ni core-shell nanoparticles are synthesized via an injection solution approach utilizing Cu seeds produced during the reactions to induce the epitaxial growth of Ni shells. The thickness of the Ni shell can be controlled by varying the Cu:Ni molar ratios in the injected precursor solution, whereas changing the injection rate of the Cu precursor solution affects the size of the Cu seeds and thus controls the eventual size of the core-shell nanoparticles.

MoSe-NiSe Hybrid Nanoelectrocatalysts and Their Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Combining MoSe with other transition metal dichalcogenides to form a hybrid nanostructure is an effective route to enhance the electrocatalytic activities for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this study, MoSe-NiSe hybrid nanoelectrocatalysts with a flower-like morphology are synthesized by a seed-induced solution approach. Instead of independently nucleating to form separate nanocrystals, the NiSe component tends to nucleate and grow on the surfaces of ultrathin nanoflakes of MoSe to form a hybrid nanostructure.

Manipulating External Electric Field and Tensile Strain toward High Energy Density Stability in Fast-Charging Li-Rich Cathode Materials.

Li-rich layered oxides (LLOs) are promising cathodes for lithium-ion batteries because of their high energy density provided by anionic redox. Although great improvements have been achieved in electrochemical performance, little attention has been paid to the energy density stability during fast charging. Indeed, LLOs have severe capacity fading and voltage decay especially at a high state of charge (SOC), disabling the application of the frequently used constant-current-constant-voltage mode for fast charging.

Rational integration of spatial confinement and polysulfide conversion catalysts for high sulfur loading lithium-sulfur batteries.

Spatial confinement is a desirable successful strategy to trap sulfur within its porous host and has been widely applied in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. However, physical confinement alone is currently not enough to reduce the lithium polysulfide (LiS, 4 ≤n≤ 8, LIPSs) shuttle effect with sluggish LIPS-dissolving kinetics. In this work, we have integrated spatial confinement with a polar catalyst, and designed a three-dimensional (3D) interconnected, Co decorated and N doped porous carbon nanofiber (Co/N-PCNF) network.

Uniform Na Doping-Induced Defects in Li- and Mn-Rich Cathodes for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The corrosion of Li- and Mn-rich (LMR) electrode materials occurring at the solid-liquid interface will lead to extra electrolyte consumption and transition metal ions dissolution, causing rapid voltage decay, capacity fading, and detrimental structure transformation. Herein, a novel strategy is introduced to suppress this corrosion by designing an Na-doped LMR (LiNiCoMnO) with abundant stacking faults, using sodium dodecyl sulfate as surfactant to ensure the uniform distribution of Na in deep grain lattices-not just surface-gathering or partially coated. The defective structure and deep distribution of Na are verified by Raman spectrum and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy of the as-prepared electrodes before and after 200 cycles.

Lithium Deficiencies Engineering in Li-Rich Layered Oxide LiMnNiCoO for High-Stability Cathode.

Li-rich layered oxides have been in focus because of their high specific capacity. However, they usually suffer from poor kinetics, severe voltage decay, and capacity fading. Herein, a long-neglected Li-deficient method is demonstrated to address these problems by simply reducing the lithium content.