Superhydrophilic membrane coupled with hydroxide ion-assisted bubbles for efficient separation of surfactant-stabilized oil/water emulsions.

Developing a feasible and efficient membrane for the purification of surfactant-stabilized emulsions is urgently needed but impeded by the issues of membrane fouling and the inherent trade-off between separation efficiency and permeation flux. A superhydrophilic conductive membrane was developed by coating MXene/carbon nanotubes layer and polydopamine-hydrogel molecular layer, which as cathode integrates feasible hydroxide ion-assisted bubbles on its surface by electrolysis of water. These bubbles are more effective than conventional ones in removing surfactant-stabilized oil droplets because the hydroxide ions significantly promote the aggregation of oil droplets and bubbles by reducing their Debye length.

Mitigating the Kinetic Hysteresis of Co-Free Ni-Rich Cathodes via Gradient Penetration of Nonmagnetic Silicon.

Co-free Ni-rich layered oxides are considered a promising cathode material for next-generation Li-ion batteries due to their cost-effectiveness and high capacity. However, they still suffer from the practical challenges of low discharge capacity and poor rate capability due to the hysteresis of Li-ion diffusion kinetics. Herein, based on the regulation of the lattice magnetic frustration, the Li/Ni intermixing defects as the primary origin of kinetic hysteresis are radically addressed via the doping of the nonmagnetic Si element.

Synergistic effect of interstitial phosphorus doping and MoS modification over ZnCdS for efficient photocatalytic H production.

ZnCdS photocatalysts have been widely investigated due to their diverse morphologies, suitable band gaps/band edge positions, and high electronic mobility. However, the sluggish charge separation and severe charge recombination impede the application of ZnCdS for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, doping of phosphorus (P) atoms into ZnCdS has been implemented to elevate S vacancies concentration as well as tune its Fermi level to be located near the impurity level of S vacancies, prolonging the lifetime of photogenerated electrons.

Self-Powered and Broadband Photodetectors Based on High-performance Mixed Dimensional SbO/PdTe/Si Heterojunction for Multiplex Environmental Monitoring.

Solar-blind ultraviolet (SBUV) to near-infrared (NIR) broadband photodetectors (BB-PD) have important applications in environmental monitoring and other applications. However, it is challenging to prepare SBUV-IR photosensitive materials via simple steps and to construct SBUV-IR broadband devices for multiplex detection with high sensitivity at different wavelengths. Here, self-powered and broadband photodetectors using a high-performance mixed dimensional SbO nanorod 1-dimension (1D)/monodisperse microdiamond-like PdTe 3-dimension (3D)/Si (3D) heterojunction for multiplex detection of environmental pollutants with high sensitivity at broadband wavelength are developed.

Embedding oxophilic rare-earth single atom in platinum nanoclusters for efficient hydrogen electro-oxidation.

Designing Pt-based electrocatalysts with high catalytic activity and CO tolerance is challenging but extremely desirable for alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction. Herein we report the design of a series of single-atom lanthanide (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, and Lu)-embedded ultrasmall Pt nanoclusters for efficient alkaline hydrogen electro-oxidation catalysis based on vapor filling and spatially confined reduction/growth of metal species. Mechanism studies reveal that oxophilic single-atom lanthanide species in Pt nanoclusters can serve as the Lewis acid site for selective OH adsorption and regulate the binding strength of intermediates on Pt sites, which promotes the kinetics of hydrogen oxidation and CO oxidation by accelerating the combination of OH and *H/*CO in kinetics and thermodynamics, endowing the electrocatalyst with up to 14.

DFT insights into the selective NHsensing mechanism of two dimensional ZnTe monolayer.

Exploring novel NHsensing materials is crucial in chemical industries, fertilizing plants and medical fields. Herein, for the first time, the NHsensing behaviors and sensing mechanisms of two dimensional (2D) ZnTe monolayer are systematically investigated by density functional theory calculations. It is shown that 2D ZnTe monolayer exhibits excellent selective NHsensing properties.

Atomic-precision Pt nanoclusters for enhanced hydrogen electro-oxidation.

The discord between the insufficient abundance and the excellent electrocatalytic activity of Pt urgently requires its atomic-level engineering for minimal Pt dosage yet maximized electrocatalytic performance. Here we report the design of ultrasmall triphenylphosphine-stabilized Pt nanoclusters for electrocatalytic hydrogen oxidation reaction in alkaline solution. Benefiting from the self-optimized ligand effect and atomic-precision structure, the nanocluster electrocatalyst demonstrates a high mass activity, a high stability, and outperforms both Pt single atoms and Pt nanoparticle analogues, uncovering an unexpected size optimization principle for designing Pt electrocatalysts.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons as a New Class of Promising Cathode Materials for Aluminum-Ion Batteries.

As an emerging post-lithium battery technology, aluminum ion batteries (AIBs) have the advantages of large Al reserves and high safety, and have great potential to be applied to power grid energy storage. But current graphite cathode materials are limited in charge storage capacity due to the formation of stage-4 graphite-intercalated compounds (GICs) in the fully charged state. Herein, we propose a new type of cathode materials for AIBs, namely polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which resemble graphite in terms of the large conjugated π bond, but do not form GICs in the charge process.

End Group Modification for Black Phosphorus: Simultaneous Improvement of Chemical Stability and Gas Sensing Performance.

Black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets have been receiving attention for gas sensing showing superior sensitivity and selectivity among various two-dimensional materials. However, the instability of BP nanosheets due to chemical degradation, especially in humid environments, has severely limited their potential applications. Here, we propose to control the chemical stability of BP nanosheets through modifying their end groups via silanization treatment.

Reusable membrane with multifunctional skin layer for effective removal of insoluble emulsified oils and soluble dyes.

The organic pollutants, typical of emulsified oils and soluble organic dyes, is commonly found in wastewater, however simultaneous removal of them remains challenging because of their difference in surface charge, molecule size, and solubility in water. Inspired by the water purification of the earth's multilayer strata, a fibrous membrane with multifunctional skin is fabricated by coupling sub-micrometer pores layer of polyaniline (PANI) and nano molecular brush of polyacrylic acid (PAA)/polyethyleneimine (PEI) on polyacrylonitrile membrane, for cross-scale organic pollution/water separation. This ultrathin skin of PANI/PAA/PEI is endowed with sub-micrometer pores and strong hydration, which can effectively prevent tiny oil droplets from entering or adhering the membrane pores.

CH₄ and CO₂ Adsorption Mechanism in Kaolinite Slit Nanopores as Studied by the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo Method.

To confirm the rules and transformation conditions of shale gas adsorption and establish a model for evaluating the adsorption capacity of shale gas quantitatively, it is necessary to reveal the shale gas adsorption mechanism. The adsorption mechanism of CH₄ and CO₂ in Kaolinite slit nanopores has been studied under the simulated conditions of 90 °C and 30 or 50 MPa by the grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) method. The results indicate that CH₄ is controlled only by the Van der Waals forces on the mineral surface because CH₄ is nonpolar, while CO₂ is controlled by both Van der Waals forces and Coulomb forces due to a certain electric quadrupole moment, which makes the adsorption capacity of CO₂ on kaolinite greater than that of CH₄.

Dual-functional membrane decorated with flower-like metal-organic frameworks for highly efficient removal of insoluble emulsified oils and soluble dyes.

High-performance membranes for simultaneously removing insoluble emulsified oils and soluble organic dyes are in urgently demand for industrial wastewater treatment, but are strictly limited by the single-function and serious fouling problem. Herein, a dual-functional membrane with excellent antifouling ability for efficiently dye/oil/water emulsion separation has been fabricated by growing flower-like metal-organic frameworks (MIL-53-OH) on polyacrylonitrile/polyethyleneimine membrane for the first time. The synergistic effect of the hierarchical flower-like structure and superhydrophilic compositions with high hydration ability endows the obtained membrane with a stable and ultra-strong oil-repelling hydration layer, thus imparting the membrane formidable oil resistance and exceptional oil/water emulsion separation performance (permeate flux>4000 L m h).

Bioinspired Anti-Oil-Fouling Hierarchical Structured Membranes Decorated with Urchin-Like α-FeOOH Particles for Efficient Oil/Water Mixture and Crude Oil-in-Water Emulsion Separation.

Designing and constructing a stable water-retention layer acting as the isolation between the oil and membrane surface holds great significance for solving the membrane fouling problems in oil/water separation, including common layered oil/water mixtures, immiscible oil-in-water emulsions, and even high-viscosity crude oil-in-water emulsions. Inspired by the self-cleaning property of sea urchin thorns, a bioinspired anti-oil-fouling hierarchically structured membranes decorated with urchin-like α-FeOOH particles was successfully prepared via the layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly method, maintaining numerous effective micro-nanopores. The hierarchical structured membrane exhibited superior superhydrophilicity/underwater superoleophobicity, high water-retention ability, and preferable anti-oil-fouling properties.

β-Hydrogen of Polythiophene Induced Aluminum Ion Storage for High-Performance Al-Polythiophene Batteries.

The urgent need for large-scale, low-cost energy storage has driven a new wave of research focusing on innovative batteries. Due to the high capacity and the low-cost of elemental Al, aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs) are expected as promising candidates for future energy storage. However, further development of AIBs is restricted by the performance of existing carbon-based cathodes and metal chalcogenide cathode materials.

Flexible SnSe Photodetectors with Ultrabroad Spectral Response up to 10.6 μm Enabled by Photobolometric Effect.

A broad spectral response is highly desirable for radiation detection in modern optoelectronics; however, it still remains a great challenge. Herein, we report a novel ultrabroadband photodetector based on a high-quality tin monoselenide (SnSe) thin film, which is even capable of detecting photons with energies far below its optical band gap. The wafer-size SnSe ultrathin films are epitaxially grown on sodium chloride via the 45° in-plane rotation by employing a sputtering method.

High-performance aqueous sodium-ion battery using a hybrid electrolyte with a wide electrochemical stability window.

The practical application of aqueous sodium-ion batteries (ASIBs) is limited by the electrolysis of water, which results in a low working voltage and energy density of ASIBs. Here, a NaClO-based acetonitrile/water hybrid electrolyte (NaClO(HO)AN) is applied to ASIBs for the first time, which effectively extends the electrochemical stability window (ESW) to 3.0 V and reduces the internal resistance of the battery.

Wafer-size growth of 2D layered SnSe films for UV-Visible-NIR photodetector arrays with high responsitivity.

Due to its excellent electrical and optical properties, tin selenide (SnSe), a typical candidate of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, has attracted great attention in the field of novel optoelectronics. However, the large-area growth of high-quality SnSe films still remains a great challenge, which limits their practical applications. Here, wafer-size SnSe ultrathin films with high uniformity and crystallization were deposited via a scalable magnetron sputtering method.

Small graphite nanoflakes as an advanced cathode material for aluminum ion batteries.

Here, we prepared small graphite nanoflakes (SGN) by a new strategy of pulverization as the cathode of aluminum ion batteries (AIBs). Electrochemical measurements show that SGN has a very high discharge capacity, excellent rate performance and good cycling stability mainly due to its enlarged edge plane, reduced thickness and high crystallinity. This work provides a new route for preparing high performance graphite-based materials for AIBs.

TiO@TiOHx core-shell nanoparticle film/Si heterojunction for ultrahigh detectivity and sensitivity broadband photodetector.

A simple hydrogenation treatment is used to synthesize unique oxygen-deficient TiO with a core/shell structure (TiO@TiOH), superior to the high H-pressure process (under 20 bar for five days). It is demonstrated that oxygen-deficient TiO nanoparticle film/Si heterojunction possesses improved photoresponse performance compared to the untreated TiO nanoparticle film/Si heterojunction. Particularly, under 900 nm of 0.

A hierarchical structured steel mesh decorated with metal organic framework/graphene oxide for high-efficient oil/water separation.

A hierarchical structured steel mesh decorated with metal organic framework (UiO-66-NH) nanoparticles/graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets was successfully prepared via a simple self-assemble method. Because water molecules tend to build hydrogen bonds with the amine, carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups of UiO-66-NH/GO hierarchical structure, the hierarchical structure can easily capture water and tightly lock the water to build a stable water layer on the steel mesh surface and block oil in contact with the steel mesh. Therefore, the obtained hierarchical structured steel mesh exhibits super-hydrophilicity, underwater super-oleophobicity, excellent oil resistance and outstanding oil/water separation performance with a superior high permeating flux (54,500 L m  h) and rejection (>99.

Layer-by-layer self-assembly of polyaniline nanofibers/TiO nanotubes heterojunction thin film for ammonia detection at room temperature.

In this paper, for the first time, polyaniline nanofibers/TiO nanotubes (PANI/TiO) heterojunction thin film has been prepared on Pt interdigital electrodes by layer-by-layer self-assembly method and applied in room temperature NH detection. It is found that the optimal self-assembly layer number is three (PANI/TiO-3) compared to one layer (PANI/TiO-1) and five layers (PANI/TiO-5). The PANI/TiO-3 thin film sensor possesses superior response characteristics compared with our other PANI based sensors, including higher response value (336%@5 ppm NH), acceptable response/recovery time (110 s/1 086 s@5 ppm NH), low detection limit (0.

Synthesis of nanowire bundle-like WO-WO heterostructures for highly sensitive NH sensor application.

Heterojunctions are very promising structures due to their hybrid properties, which are usually obtained via a multistep growth process. However, in this paper, WO-WO heterostructures are synthesized via a novel one-step approach by using isopropanol as reaction media and are applied in NH gas detection for the first time. The obtained WO-WO heterostructures with loose nanowire bundle-like morphology show a response value of 23.

Pinning Down the Anomalous Light Soaking Effect toward High-Performance and Fast-Response Perovskite Solar Cells: The Ion-Migration-Induced Charge Accumulation.

The light soaking effect (LSE) is widely known in perovskite solar cells (PVSCs), but its origin is still elusive. In this study, we show that in common with hysteresis, the LSE is owed to the ion migration in PVSCs. Driven by the photovoltage, the mobile ions in the perovskite materials (MA/I) migrate to the selective contacts, forming a boosted P-i-N junction resulting in enhanced charge separation.

Electrostatic Self-Assembly of Sandwich-Like CoAl-LDH/Polypyrrole/Graphene Nanocomposites with Enhanced Capacitive Performance.

A novel sandwich-like composite with ultrathin CoAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoplates electrostatically assembled on both sides of two-dimensional polypyrrole/graphene (PG) substrate has been successfully fabricated using facile hydrothermal techniques. The PG not only serves as an excellent conductive and structural scaffold to enhance the transmission of electrons and prevent aggregation of CoAl-LDH nanoplates but also contributes to the enhancement of the specific capacitance. Owing to the homogeneous dispersion of CoAl-LDH nanoplates and its intimate interaction with PG substrate, the resulting CoAl-LDH/PG nanocomposite material exhibits excellent capacitive performance, for example, enhanced gravimetric specific capacitance (864 F g at 1 A g ), high rate performance (75% retention at 20 A g), and excellent cycle life (almost no degradation in supercapacitor performance after 5000 cycles) in aqueous KOH solution.