Encapsulation of FeS within N/S-Doped bamboo-like carbon nanotubes for facilitated rapid catalytic conversion of polysulfides in high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered to be competitive next-generation electrochemical energy storage devices, but their practical application is severely hampered by the shuttle effect and slow redox kinetics of soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). To address this challenge, FeS encapsulated within N/S co-doped bamboo-like carbon nanotubes (FeS/NSC) is synthesized via a pyrolysis sulfidation process, and act as a coating separator for LSBs. The 1-dimensional (1D) S and N co-doped carbon substrate materials can act as conductive networks, exposing more adsorption sites and enhancing the capture of LiPSs.

Electrochemical Exfoliation of Layered Non-van der Waals Crystals into 2D Nanosheets: MAX Phases and Beyond.

2D materials have rapidly gained attention due to their exceptional properties like high surface area, flexibility, and tunable electronic characteristics. These attributes make them highly versatile for applications in energy storage, electronics, and biomedicine. Inspired by graphene's success, researchers are exploring other 2D materials from bulk crystals.

Labeled and Label-Free Target Identifications of Natural Products.

Target identification, employing chemical proteomics, constitutes a continuous challenging endeavor in the drug development of natural products (NPs). Understanding their targets is crucial for deciphering their mechanisms and developing potential probes or drugs. Identifications fall into two main categories: labeled and label-free techniques.

Extremely Durable K-Ion Batteries Enabled by Heteroatom Co-Doped Highly-Ordered Porous Carbon Spheres with Nearly 100% Capacity Retention up to 11,000 Cycles.

Currently, one major target for exploring K-ion batteries (KIBs) is enhancing their cycle stability due to the intrinsically sluggish kinetics of large-radius K ions. Herein, we report a rationally designed electrode, the S/O co-doped hard carbon spheres with highly ordered porous characteristics (SPC), for extremely durable KIBs. Experimental results and theory calculations confirm that this structure offers exceptional advantages for high-performance KIBs, facilitating rapid K diffusion and (de)-intercalation, efficient electrolyte penetration and transport, improved K storage sites, and enhanced redox reaction kinetics, thus ensuring the long-term cycle stability.

"Bottom-up" and "top-down" strategies toward strong cellulose-based materials.

Cellulose, as the most abundant natural polymer on Earth, has long captured researchers' attention due to its high strength and modulus. Nevertheless, transferring its exceptional mechanical properties to macroscopic 2D and 3D materials poses numerous challenges. This review provides an overview of the research progress in the development of strong cellulose-based materials using both the "bottom-up" and "top-down" approaches.

Synergistic electrochemical catalysis by high-entropy metal phosphide in lithium-sulfur batteries.

The shuttle effect and sluggish redox kinetics of polysulfides have hindered the development of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) as premier energy storage devices. To address these issues, a high-entropy metal phosphide (NiCoMnFeCrP) was synthesized using the sol-gel method. NiCoMnFeCrP, with its rich metal species, exhibits strong synergistic effects and provides numerous catalytic active sites for the conversion of polysulfides.

Reaction Mechanism and Performance of Innovative 2D Germanane-Silicane Alloys: SiGe H Electrodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The adjustable structures and remarkable physicochemical properties of 2D monoelemental materials, such as silicene and germanene, have attracted significant attention in recent years. They can be transformed into silicane (SiH) and germanane (GeH) through covalent functionalization via hydrogen atom termination. However, synthesizing these materials with a scalable and low-cost fabrication process to achieve high-quality 2D SiH and GeH poses challenges.

Enabling Rapid and Stable Sodium Storage via a P2-Type Layered Cathode with High-Voltage Zero-Phase Transition Behavior.

Currently, a major target in the development of Na-ion batteries is the concurrent attainment of high-rate capacity and long cycling stability. Herein, an advanced Na-ion battery with high-rate capability and long cycle stability based on Li/Ti co-doped P2-type NaMnNiO, a host material with high-voltage zero-phase transition behavior and fast Na migration/conductivity during dynamic de-embedding process, is constructed. Experimental results and theoretical calculations reveal that the two-element doping strategy promotes a mutually reinforcing effect, which greatly facilitates the transfer capability of Na.

Hyperbranched Dynamic Crosslinking Networks Enable Degradable, Reconfigurable, and Multifunctional Epoxy Vitrimer.

Degradation and reprocessing of thermoset polymers have long been intractable challenges to meet a sustainable future. Star strategies via dynamic cross-linking hydrogen bonds and/or covalent bonds can afford reprocessable thermosets, but often at the cost of properties or even their functions. Herein, a simple strategy coined as hyperbranched dynamic crosslinking networks (HDCNs) toward in-practice engineering a petroleum-based epoxy thermoset into degradable, reconfigurable, and multifunctional vitrimer is provided.

MoO/t-CN Heterogeneous Materials with Bidirectional Catalysis for the Rapid Conversion of S Species in Li-S Batteries.

Li-S batteries have drawn a lot of attention for their high theoretical specific capacity and significant economic benefits. However, the shuttle effect of polysulfides prevents them from being used widely. To tackle this difficulty, a heterogeneous structure based on tubular carbon nitride with evenly dispersed molybdenum dioxide nanoparticles (MoO/t-CN) as the S host is constructed in this work.

Practical Application of Li-Rich Materials in Halide All-Solid-State Batteries and Interfacial Reactions between Cathodes and Electrolytes.

Benefiting from the advanced solid-state electrolytes (SSEs), conventional cathodes have been widely applied in all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs). However, Li-rich Mn-based (LRM) cathodes, which possess enhanced discharge capacities beyond 250 mA h g, have not yet been studied in ASSLBs. In this work, the practical application of LRM cathodes in ASSLBs using a high-voltage-stability halide SSE (LiInCl, LIC) is reported for the first time.

Manipulating Charge-Transfer Kinetics of Lithium-Rich Layered Oxide Cathodes in Halide All-Solid-State Batteries.

Employing lithium-rich layered oxide (LLO) as the cathode of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) is highly desired for realizing high energy density. However, the poor kinetics of LLO, caused by its low electronic conductivity and significant oxygen-redox-induced structural degradation, has impeded its application in ASSBs. Here, the charge transfer kinetics of LLO is enhanced by constructing high-efficiency electron transport networks within solid-state electrodes, which considerably minimizes electron transfer resistance.

Tellurium Surface Doping to Enhance the Structural Stability and Electrochemical Performance of Layered Ni-Rich Cathodes.

The Ni-rich layered oxides are considered as a candidate of next-generation cathode materials for high energy density lithium-ion batteries; however, the finite cyclic life and poor thermostability impede their practical applications. There is often a tradeoff between structure stability and high capacity because the intrinsical instability of oxygen framework will lead to the structural transformation of Ni-rich materials. Because of the strong binding energy between the Te atom and O atom, herein a new technology of surface tellurium (Te) doping in the Ni-rich layered oxide (LiNiCoAlO) is proposed to settle the above predicament.

Preparation and Performance of the Heterostructured Material with a Ni-Rich Layered Oxide Core and a LiNiMnO-like Spinel Shell.

The LiNiCo Al O (NCA)-layered materials are regarded as a research focus of power lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of their high capacity. However, NCA materials are still up against the defects of cation mixing and surface erosion of electrolytes. Herein, a novel design strategy is proposed to obtain a heterostructured cathode material with a high-capacity LiNiCoAlO layer ( R3̅ m) core and a stable LiNiMnO-like spinel ( Fd3̅ m) shell, which is prepared through spontaneous redox reaction of the precursor with KMnO in an alkaline solution and subsequent calcination procedure.

Effects of Nanofiber Architecture and Antimony Doping on the Performance of Lithium-Rich Layered Oxides: Enhancing Lithium Diffusivity and Lattice Oxygen Stability.

Li-rich layered oxides (LLOs) with high specific capacities are favorable cathode materials with high-energy density. Unfortunately, the drawbacks of LLOs such as oxygen release, low conductivity, and depressed kinetics for lithium ion transport during cycling can affect the safety and rate capability. Moreover, they suffer severe capacity and voltage fading, which are major challenges for the commercializing development.

Spinel/Layered Heterostructured Lithium-Rich Oxide Nanowires as Cathode Material for High-Energy Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Lithium-rich oxide material has been considered as an attractive candidate for high-energy cathode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the practical applications are still hindered due to its low initial reversible capacity, severe voltage decaying, and unsatisfactory rate capability. Among all, the voltage decaying is a serious barrier that results in a large decrease of energy density during long-term cycling.

LiNiCoMnO with Controllable Morphology and Size for High Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The controllable morphology and size Li-rich Mn-based layered oxide LiNiCoMnO with micro/nano structure is successfully prepared through a simple coprecipitation route followed by subsequent annealing treatment process. By rationally regulating and controlling the volume ratio of ethylene glycol (EG) in hydroalcoholic solution, the morphology and size of the final products can be reasonably designed and tailored from rod-like to olive-like, and further evolved into shuttle-like with the assistance of surfactant. Further, the structures and electrochemical properties of the Li-rich layered oxide with various morphology and size are systematically investigated.

Dependence of structure and temperature for lithium-rich layered-spinel microspheres cathode material of lithium ion batteries.

Homogeneous lithium-rich layered-spinel 0.5Li2MnO3·0.5LiMn1/3Ni1/3Co1/3O2 microspheres (~1 μm) are successfully prepared by a solvothermal method and subsequent high-temperature calcinations process.