Constructing self-standing FeO-Pt/NF nanoflowers with synergistic active sites for efficient electrocatalytic overall (sea) water splitting.

Designing cost-effective and highly stable heterostructures with synergistic active sites could simultaneously catalyze the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for (sea) water splitting. However, there are still challenges in maintaining the catalytic performance of individual materials and in constructing intimate interfaces. Herein, a novel corrosion engineering method is provided to prepare self-standing FeO-Pt/NF nanoflowers where ultra-small amounts of Pt combined with FeO are grown on nickel foam (NF) in the corrosion system of "HPtCl-NaCl-FeCl".

Li-Si alloy pre-lithiated silicon suboxide anode constructing a stable multiphase lithium silicate layer promoting Ion-transfer kinetics.

Enhancing the initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and cycling stability of silicon suboxide (SiO) anode is crucial for promoting its commercialization and practical implementation. Herein, we propose an economical and effective method for constructing pre-lithiated core-shell SiO anodes with high ICE and stable interface during cycling. The lithium silicon alloy (LiSi) is used to react with SiO in advance, allowing for improved ICE of SiO without compromising its reversible specific capacity.

Hierarchical Sea Urchin-like Fe-doped Heazlewoodite for High-Efficient Oxygen Evolution.

Electrochemical water-splitting to produce hydrogen is potential to substitute the traditional industrial coal gasification, but the oxygen evolution kinetics at the anode remains sluggish. In this paper, sea urchin-like Fe doped NiS catalyst growing on nickel foam (NF) substrate is constructed via a simple two-step strategy, including surface iron activation and post sulfuration process. The NF-Fe-NiS obtains at temperature of 130 °C (NF-Fe-NiS-130) features nanoneedle-like arrays which are vertically grown on the particles to form sea urchin-like morphology, features high electrochemical surface area.

Elucidating the Volcanic-Type Catalytic Behavior in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries via Defect Engineering.

Defects are generally considered to be effective and flexible in the catalytic reactions of lithium-sulfur batteries. However, the influence of the defect concentration on catalysis remains ambiguous. In this work, molybdenum sulfide with different sulfur vacancy concentrations is comprehensively modulated, showing that the defect level and the adsorption-catalytic performance result in a volcano relationship.

Black Arsenic-Phosphorus Nanosheets for Highly Responsive Photodetection and Dual-Wavelength Ultrafast Pulse Generation at Telecommunication Bands.

Black arsenic-phosphorus (b-AsP), an alloy containing black phosphorus and arsenic in the form of b-AsP, has a broadly tunable band gap changing with the chemical ratios of As and P. Although mid-infrared photodetectors and mode-locked or Q-switched pulse lasers based on b-AsP (mostly b-AsP) are investigated, the potential of this family of materials for near-infrared photonic and optoelectronic applications at telecommunication bands is not fully explored. Here, we have verified a multifunctional fiber device based on b-AsP nanosheets for highly responsive photodetection and dual-wavelength ultrafast pulse generation at around 1550 nm.

A graphene-MoC heterostructure for a highly responsive broadband photodetector.

Photodetectors based on intrinsic graphene can operate over a broad wavelength range with ultrafast response, but their responsivity is much lower than commercial silicon photodiodes. The combination of graphene with two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors may enhance the light absorption, but there is still a cutoff wavelength originating from the bandgap of semiconductors. Here, we report a highly responsive broadband photodetector based on the heterostructure of graphene and transition metal carbides (TMCs, more specifically MoC).

Sub-Nanometer Pt Clusters on Defective NiFe LDH Nanosheets as Trifunctional Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting and Rechargeable Hybrid Sodium-Air Batteries.

It is challenging to develop highly efficient and stable multifunctional electrocatalysts for improving the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for sustainable energy conversion and storage systems such as water-alkali electrolyzers (WAEs) and hybrid sodium-air batteries (HSABs). In this work, sub-nm Pt nanoclusters (NCs) on defective NiFe layered double hydroxide nanosheets (NiFe LDHs) are synthesized by a facile electrodeposition method. Due to the synergistic effect between Pt NCs and abundant atomic (II) defects, along with hierarchical porous nanostructures, the Pt/NiFe LDHs catalysts exhibit superior trifunctional electrocatalytic activity and durability toward the HER/OER/ORR.

Carbon/Polymer Bilayer-Coated Si-SiO Electrodes with Enhanced Electrical Conductivity and Structural Stability.

Si-based electrodes offer exceptionally high capacity and energy density for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs),but suffer from poor structural stability and electrical conductivity that hamper their practical applications. To tackle these obstacles, we design a C/polymer bilayer coating deposited on Si-SiO microparticles. The inner C coating is used to improve electrical conductivity.

Highly nitrogen and sulfur dual-doped carbon microspheres for supercapacitors.

Heteroatom doping, especially dual-doped carbon materials have attracted much attention for the past few years, and have been regarded as one of the most efficient strategies to enhance the capacitance behavior of porous carbon materials. In this work, a facile two-step synthetic route was developed to fabricate nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon microsphere (NSCM) by using thiourea as dopant. The N/S doping content is controlled via varying the carbonization temperature.

Hierarchically Porous Electrocatalyst with Vertically Aligned Defect-Rich CoMoS Nanosheets for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in an Alkaline Medium.

Effective electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline electrolytes can be developed via a simple solvothermal process. In this work, first, the prepared CoMoS nanomaterials through solvothermal treatment have a porous, defect-rich, and vertically aligned nanostructure, which is beneficial for the HER in an alkaline medium. Second, electron transfer from cobalt to MoS that reduces the unoccupied d orbitals of molybdenum can also enhance the HER kinetics in an alkaline medium.