Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia on AuCu Single-Atom Alloy Aerogels under Wide Potential Window.

Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction to ammonia (NORR) is very attractive for nitrate removal and ammonia production in industrial processes. However, the nitrate reduction reaction is characterized by intense hydrogen competition at strong reduction potentials, which greatly limits the Faraday efficiency at strong reduction potentials. Herein, we reported an AuCu single-atom alloy aerogels (AuCu SAAs) with three-dimensional network structure with significant nitrate reduction performance of Faraday efficiency (FE) higher than 90 % over a wide potential range (0 ~ -1 V ).

Controlled Defective Engineering on CuIr Catalyst Promotes Nitrate Selective Reduction to Ammonia.

Electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NORR) is a promising low-carbon and environmentally friendly approach for the production of ammonia (NH). Herein, we develop a high-temperature quenched copper (Cu) catalyst with the aim of inducing nonequilibrium phase transformation, revealing the multiple defects (distortion, dislocations, vacancies, etc.) presented in Cu, which lead to low overpotential for NORR and high efficiency for NH production.

Confining Iodine into Metal-Organic Framework Derived Metal-Nitrogen-Carbon for Long-Life Aqueous Zinc-Iodine Batteries.

Aqueous zinc-iodine batteries (AZIBs) are highly appealing for energy requirements owing to their safety, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. However, the inadequate redox kinetics and severe shuttling effect of polyiodide ions impede their commercial viability. Herein, several Zn-MOF-derived porous carbon materials are designed, and the further preparation of iron-doped porous carbon (Fe-N-C, M9) with varied Fe doping contents is optimized based on a facile self-assembly/carbonization approach.

Rubik's cube PBA frameworks for optimizing the electrochemical performance in alkali metal-ion batteries.

PBA frameworks have stood out among metal-organic frameworks because of their easy preparation, excellent stability, porous structures, and rich redox properties. Unfortunately, their non-ideal conductivity and significant volume expansion during cycling prevent more widespread application in alkali-metal-ion (Li, Na, and K) batteries. By changing the type and molar ratio of metal ions, Rubik's PBA frameworks with infinite structural variations were obtained in this study, just like the Rubik's cube undergoes infinite changes during the rotation.

Covalent organic frameworks and their composites for rechargeable batteries.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), characterized by well-ordered pores, large specific surface area, good stability, high precision, and flexible design, are a promising material for batteries and have received extensive attention from researchers in recent years. Compared with inorganic materials, COFs can construct elastic frameworks with better structural stability, and their chemical compositions and structures can be precisely adjusted and functionalized at the molecular level, providing an open pathway for the convenient transfer of ions. In this review, the energy storage mechanism and unique superiority of COFs and COF composites as electrodes, separators and electrolytes for rechargeable batteries are discussed in detail.

Layered (AlO)OH·VO composite superstructures for ultralong lifespan aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

The unique superstructures electrode materials are of dominant significance for improving the performance of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). In this work, using nano MIL-96 (Al) as the precursor, a series of the layered (AlO)OH·VO composite superstructures with different morphologies and V-oxide contents were prepared by combining calcination and hydrothermal synthesis. Among which, the HBC·V superstructure is composed of the amorphous AlO/C, V-oxide, and the fluffy structure of (AlO)OH, thus the superstructure can enhance the stability, increase the active center, and shorten Zn diffusion, respectively.

Space-Confined Metal Ion Strategy for Carbon Materials Derived from Cobalt Benzimidazole Frameworks with High Desalination Performance in Simulated Seawater.

Various metal ions with different valence states (Mg , Al , Ca , Ti , Mn , Fe , Ni , Zn , Pb , Ba , Ce ) are successfully confined in quasi-microcube shaped cobalt benzimidazole frameworks using a space-confined synthesis strategy. More importantly, a series of derived carbon materials that confine metal ions are obtained by high-temperature pyrolysis. Interestingly, the derived carbon materials exhibited electric double-layer and pseudocapacitance properties because of the presence of metal ions with various valence states.

Embedding Atomically Dispersed Iron Sites in Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Frameworks-Wrapped Silicon Suboxide for Superior Lithium Storage.

Silicon suboxide (SiO ) has attracted widespread interest as Li-ion battery (LIB) anodes. However, its undesirable electronic conductivity and apparent volume effect during cycling impede its practical applications. Herein, sustainable rice husks (RHs)-derived SiO are chosen as a feedstock to design SiO /iron-nitrogen co-doped carbon (Fe-N-C) materials.

Ordered porous and uniform electric-field-strength micro-supercapacitors by 3D printing based on liquid-crystal VO nanowires compositing carbon nanomaterials.

The design of electrode internal structure plays an important role in improving the performance of micro-supercapacitors (MSCs). However, the complexity of the program hinders the development and application of Three-dimensional(3D)-printed MSCs. Herein, printable inks were prepared by using vanadium pentoxide nanowires as active materials, carbon nanotubes as collector and conductive agent, graphene oxide as adhesive, scaffold and water retaining agent.

Hollow mesoporous carbon nanospheres space-confining ultrathin nanosheets superstructures for efficient capacitive deionization.

In this work, we propose a novel strategy to fabricate nickel silicate nanoflakes inside hollow mesoporous carbon spheres (NiSiO(OH)/C). Hollow mesoporous carbon spheres (HMCSs) can well regulate and limit the growth of NiSiO(OH) nanosheets, which obviously enhance the structural stability and conductivity of the composites. The core-shell NiSiO(OH)/C superstructure has been proven to possess an extremely excellent electrosorption capacity of 28.

Synthesis of truncated octahedral zinc-doped manganese hexacyanoferrates and low-temperature calcination activation for lithium-ion battery.

Owing to their open three-dimensional framework structure, Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) have attracted increasing interest as anode materials for future lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, some disadvantages, such as inferior stability and short cycle life, hinder its utilization significantly. Hence, we develop a simple method to prepare a unique truncated octahedral ZnMnFe-PBA with exposed {111} crystal facets.

Rational Design and General Synthesis of Multimetallic Metal-Organic Framework Nano-Octahedra for Enhanced Li-S Battery.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which consist of central metal nodes and organic linkers, constitute a fast growing class of crystalline porous materials with excellent application potential. Herein, a series of Mn-based multimetallic MOF (bimetallic and trimetallic MIL-100) nano-octahedra are prepared by a facile one-pot synthetic strategy. The types and proportions of the incorporated elements can be tuned while retaining the original topological structure.

Construction of SiO/nitrogen-doped carbon superstructures derived from rice husks for boosted lithium storage.

Silicon sub-oxides (SiO) are increasingly becoming a prospective anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Nevertheless, inferior electrical conductivity and drastic volume fluctuation upon cycling significantly hamper the electrochemical performance of SiO. In this work, rice husks (RHs)-derived pitaya-like SiO/nitrogen-doped carbon (SNC) superstructures have been prepared by a simple electrospray-carbonization approach.

Silicon oxide-protected nickel nanoparticles as biomass-derived catalysts for urea electro-oxidation.

The urea electro-oxidation reaction (UOR) is explored as a new technique for energy conversion and the removal of urea via electrochemical means in wastewater. Nickel (Ni) nanoparticles grown on nanosheets were prepared by a facile hydrothermal reaction and a subsequent calcination process of silicon oxide/nitrogen-doped carbon (SiO/NC) as the precursor, in which SiO/NC with a natural three-dimensional (3D) interconnected structure was obtained from bamboo leaves. The nickel/silicon oxide/nitrogen-doped carbon (Ni/SiO/NC, denoted as Y) obtained at 900 °C (Y3), exhibits the most optimal catalytic properties for the UOR with a low potential of 1.

Geometric analysis of shape transition for two-layer carbon-silicon nanotubes.

The two-layer nanotubes consisted of carbon atoms on the outside layer and silicon atoms on the inside layer (CNT@SiNT) show a series of diversity in the shape transitions, for instance transforming from a circle through an oval to a rectangle. In this paper, we investigate this geometric change from three perspectives. In the first aspect, we stationary time, followed by quantize in the three-dimensional Z-axis of nanotubes.

Correction: Facile synthesis of ultrathin Ni-MOF nanobelts for high-efficiency determination of glucose in human serum.

Correction for 'Facile synthesis of ultrathin Ni-MOF nanobelts for high-efficiency determination of glucose in human serum' by Xiao Xiao et al., J. Mater.

Porous pyrrhotite FeS nanowire/SiO/nitrogen-doped carbon matrix for high-performance Li-ion-battery anodes.

Iron sulfides, known as attractive anode materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, have been extensively studied. Nevertheless, low electrical conductivity and huge volume expansion of iron sulfides hinder its practical applications. Herein, a novel method was developed to synthesize ternary porous FeS nanowires/SiO/nitrogen-doped carbon matrix by facile hydrothermal method and subsequent sulfidation derived from bamboo leaves.

Facile one-pot generation of metal oxide/hydroxide@metal-organic framework composites: highly efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting.

In situ growth of Co3O4 nanocubes on the surface of Co-MOF is an effective way to adjust the surface electron structure of electrocatalysts and increase extra active sites for the OER, the HER and overall water splitting. A facile one-pot hydrothermal method can be extended to the preparation of other metal oxide/hydroxide@MOF composites.

Synthesis of Co Mn Ni C O ⋅n H O Micropolyhedrons: Multimetal Synergy for High-Performance Glucose Oxidation Catalysis.

Owing to the synergy between metals, trimetal oxalate micropolyhedrons have been synthesized by means of a room-temperature coprecipitation strategy. The effect of their nanoscale size on their electrochemical performance toward glucose oxidation was investigated. In particular, the Co Mn Ni C O ⋅n H O micropolyhedrons illustrated prominent electrocatalytic activity for the glucose oxidation reaction.