Abnormally High Graphitic Crystallization of Cellulose Nanocrystals.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are currently of great interest for many applications, such as energy storage and nanocomposites, because of their natural abundance. A number of carbonization studies have reported abnormal graphitization behavior of CNCs, although cellulose is generally known as a precursor for hard carbon (nongraphitizable carbon). Herein, we report a spray-freeze-drying (SFD) method for CNCs and a subsequent carbonization study to ascertain the difference in the structural development between the amorphous and crystalline phases.

Continuous-wave upconversion lasing with a sub-10 W cm threshold enabled by atomic disorder in the host matrix.

Microscale lasers efficiently deliver coherent photons into small volumes for intracellular biosensors and all-photonic microprocessors. Such technologies have given rise to a compelling pursuit of ever-smaller and ever-more-efficient microlasers. Upconversion microlasers have great potential owing to their large anti-Stokes shifts but have lagged behind other microlasers due to their high pump power requirement for population inversion of multiphoton-excited states.

Synergistic effect of quinary molten salts and ruthenium catalyst for high-power-density lithium-carbon dioxide cell.

With a recent increase in interest in metal-gas batteries, the lithium-carbon dioxide cell has attracted considerable attention because of its extraordinary carbon dioxide-capture ability during the discharge process and its potential application as a power source for Mars exploration. However, owing to the stable lithium carbonate discharge product, the cell enables operation only at low current densities, which significantly limits the application of lithium-carbon dioxide batteries and effective carbon dioxide-capture cells. Here, we investigate a high-performance lithium-carbon dioxide cell using a quinary molten salt electrolyte and ruthenium nanoparticles on the carbon cathode.

A Ternary Ni Co Fe Nanoalloy-Based Oxygen Electrocatalyst for Highly Efficient Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries.

Replacing noble-metal-based oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts is the key to developing efficient Zn-air batteries (ZABs). Here, a homogeneous ternary Ni Co Fe nanoalloy with a size distribution of 30-60 nm dispersed in a carbon matrix (denoted as C@NCF-900) as a highly efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst produced via supercritical reaction and subsequent heat treatment at 900 °C is reported. Among all the transition-metal-based electrocatalysts, the C@NCF-900 exhibits the highest ORR performance in terms of half-wave potential (0.

Facile control of nanoporosity in Cellulose Acetate using Nickel(II) nitrate additive and water pressure treatment for highly efficient battery gel separators.

We succeed in fabricating nearly straight nanopores in cellulose acetate (CA) polymers for use as battery gel separators by utilizing an inorganic hexahydrate (Ni(NO)·6HO) complex and isostatic water pressure treatment. The continuous nanopores are generated when the polymer film is exposed to isostatic water pressure after complexing the nickel(II) nitrate hexahydrate (Ni(NO)·6HO) with the CA. These results can be attributed to the manner in which the polymer chains are weakened because of the plasticization effect of the Ni(NO)·6HO that is incorporated into the CA.