Constructing a Low-Cost Si-NSs@C/NG Composite by a Ball Milling-Catalytic Pyrolysis Method for Lithium Storage.

Silicon-based composites are promising candidates as the next-generation anode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their high theoretical specific capacity, abundant reserves, and reliable security. However, expensive raw materials and complicated preparation processes give silicon carbon anode a high price and poor batch stability, which become a stumbling block to its large-scale practical application. In this work, a novel ball milling-catalytic pyrolysis method is developed to fabricate a silicon nanosheet@amorphous carbon/N-doped graphene (Si-NSs@C/NG) composite with cheap high-purity micron-size silica powder and melamine as raw materials.

Constructing NiP/NiP Heterostructures to Boost Interfacial Polarization for Enhanced Microwave Absorption Performance.

Heterostructures with a rich phase boundary are attractive for surface-mediated microwave absorption (MA) materials. However, understanding the MA mechanisms behind the heterogeneous interface remains a challenge. Herein, a phosphine (PH) vapor-assisted phase and structure engineering strategy was proposed to construct three-dimensional (3D) porous NiP/NiP heterostructures as microwave absorbers and explore the role of the heterointerface in MA performance.

Defect formation-induced tunable evolution of oxygen functional groups for sodium storage in porous graphene.

The coinciding effects of carbon defects and oxygen functional groups in porous graphene were demonstrated in this work. The species and distributions of oxygen functional groups evolved with the types of defects, especially those containing C[double bond, length as m-dash]O bonds mainly distributed along the edge of ring defects, and enhanced Na+ storage.

Structural Evolution of Phosphorus Species on Graphene with a Stabilized Electrochemical Interface.

Phosphorus doping is an effective approach to tailor the surface chemistry of carbon materials. In this work, two-dimensional graphene, as a simplified model for all sp hybrid carbon allotropes, is employed to explore the surface chemistry of P-doped carbon materials. Thermally reduced graphene oxide, with abundant residual oxygen functionalities, is doped by phosphorus heteroatoms through HPO activation, followed by passivation in an inert atmosphere.

Self-Assembled 3D Graphene-Based Aerogel with Co3 O4 Nanoparticles as High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitor Electrode.

Using graphene oxide and a cobalt salt as precursor, a three-dimensional graphene aerogel with embedded Co3 O4 nanoparticles (3D Co3 O4 -RGO aerogel) is prepared by means of a solvothermal approach and subsequent freeze-drying and thermal reduction. The obtained 3D Co3 O4 -RGO aerogel has a high specific capacitance of 660 F g(-1) at 0.5 A g(-1) and a high rate capability of 65.

Macroporous 'bubble' graphene film via template-directed ordered-assembly for high rate supercapacitors.

A three-dimensional bubble graphene film, with controllable and uniform macropores and tailorable microstructure, was fabricated by a facile hard templating strategy and exhibit extraordinary electrochemical capacitance with high rate capability (1.0 V s(-1)).