Simultaneously Boosting Direct and Indirect Urea Oxidation of Nickel Hydroxide via Strategic Yttrium Doping.

Urea electrolysis can address pressing environmental concerns caused by urea-containing wastewater while realizing energy-saving hydrogen production. Highly efficient and affordable electrocatalysts are indispensable for realizing the great potential of this emerging technology. Among the numerous candidates, α-Ni(OH) has the merits of good electrocatalytic activity, adjustable heteroelement doping, and low cost; consequently, it has received tremendous attention in the electrolytic fields.

Interface engineering of heterostructured vanadium oxides for enhanced energy storage in Zinc-Ion batteries.

Rechargeable aqueous Zn-ion batteries (RAZIBs) with the merits of cost effectiveness and high safety have been rejuvenated as tantalizing energy storage systems to meet the demand for grid-scale applications. Currently, the energy storage capability of the positive electrode (cathode) holds the key for the overall performance of RAZIBs. In this work, we reveal VO, VO·12HO (HVO), and VO/HVO can be prepared via hydrothermal reaction by using different reducing agents.

Binary and nanostructured NiMn perovskite fluorides as efficient electrocatalysts for urea oxidation reaction.

Urea electrolysis holds tremendous promise to provide green and sustainable energy and environmental solutions, because it can simultaneously remedy urea-containing wastewater and provide energy-saving hydrogen. However, the development of this emerging technology remains challenging mainly due to a dearth of high-performance electrocatalysts for efficient urea oxidation reaction (UOR). Perovskite fluorides have the advantages of intrinsic 3D diffusion pathways, robust architecture, and tunable chemical composition, thus receiving increasing attention in many applications.

Yttrium-preintercalated layered manganese oxide as a durable cathode for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (RAZIBs) are regarded as competitive alternatives for large-scale energy storage on account of cost-effectiveness and inherent safety. In particular, rechargeable Zn-MnO batteries have drawn increasing attention due to high manufacturing readiness level. However, obtaining MnO with high electrochemical activity and high cyclic stability toward Zn/H storage still remains challenging.

Defect regulated spinel MnO obtained by glycerol-assisted method for high-energy-density aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (RAZIBs) show great potential as a competitive candidate for reliable energy storage by virtue of cost-effectiveness, high safety, and environmental friendliness. However, unsatisfactory cycle stability of cathode material impedes the development of high-performance RAZIBs. This study reveals a strategic polyol-mediated process by using glycerol as the solvent for solvothermal reaction.

Expanded spinel ZnMnO induced by electrochemical activation of glucose - mediated manganese oxide for stable cycle performance in zinc - ion batteries.

Rechargeable aqueous Zn - MnO batteries show great potential for grid - scale storage due to cost - effectiveness and high safety. However, most of MnO cathodes suffer from irreversible phase transformation into spinel ZnMnO with reduced electrochemical activity after repeated charge/discharge cycles, leading to severe capacity decay. Herein, we reveal a strategic design utilizing glucose as the mediating agent to prepare nanostructured MnO/MnO material, which can be then transformed into lattice - expanded ZnMnO nanoparticles by electrochemical activation.

Vanadium oxides obtained by chimie douce reactions: The influences of transition metal species on crystal structures and electrochemical behaviors in zinc-ion batteries.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (RAZIBs) have received increasing attention due to cost-effectiveness and inherent safety. A wide variety of advanced cathode materials have been revealed with promising performance in RAZIBs. However, these materials usually require sophisticated procedures at high temperatures, which greatly limit further practical application.

Reduced Intercalation Energy Barrier by Rich Structural Water in Spinel ZnMnO for High-Rate Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are considered promising next-generation systems for large-scale energy storage due to low cost, environmental friendliness, and high reversibility of the Zn anode. However, the interfacial charge-transfer resistance for the insertion of divalent Zn into cathode materials is normally high, which limits the kinetics of Zn transfer at the cathode/electrolyte interface. This study reveals the presence of rich structural water in spinel ZnMnO (ZnMnO·0.

Polypropylene Carbonate-Based Adaptive Buffer Layer for Stable Interfaces of Solid Polymer Lithium Metal Batteries.

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have the potential to enhance the safety and energy density of lithium batteries. However, poor interfacial contact between the lithium metal anode and SPE leads to high interfacial resistance and low specific capacity of the battery. In this work, we present a novel strategy to improve this solid-solid interface problem and maintain good interfacial contact during battery cycling by introducing an adaptive buffer layer (ABL) between the Li metal anode and SPE.

Electroless deposition of RuO-based nanoparticles for energy conversion applications.

This study reports a delicate electroless approach for the deposition of RuO·HO nanoparticles on the VO ·HO nanowires and this method can be extended to deposit RuO·HO nanoparticles on various material surfaces. Electrochemical characterizations, including linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) analysis and rotating ring-disc electrode (RRDE) voltammetry, were carried out to investigate the growth mechanism. The deposition involves the catalytic reduction of dissolved oxygen by the V species of VO ·HO, which drives the oxidation of RuCl to proceed with the growth of RuO·HO.