A quasi-solid-state self-healing flexible zinc-ion battery using a dual-crosslinked hybrid hydrogel as the electrolyte and Prussian blue analogue as the cathode material.

Due to their excellent safety and lower cost, aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) have garnered extensive interest among various energy-storage systems. Here we report a quasi-solid-state self-healing AZIB by using a hybrid hydrogel which consists of dual-crosslinked polyacrylamide and polyvinyl alcohol as a flexible electrolyte and a cobalt hexacyanoferrate (KCo[Fe(CN)]·12.6HO) Prussian blue analogue as the cathode material.

Designing a Magnesium/Sodium Hybrid Battery Using Hierarchical Iron Selenide Architecture as Cathode Material and Modified Dual-Ion Salts in Ether as Electrolyte.

We developed a magnesium/sodium (Mg/Na) hybrid battery using a hierarchical disk-whisker FeSe architecture (HD-FeSe) as the cathode material and a modified dual-ion electrolyte. The polarizable Se anion reduced the Mg migration barrier, and the 3D configuration possessed a large surface area, which facilitated both Mg/Na cation diffusion and electron transport. The dual-ion salts with NaTFSI in ether reduced the Mg plating/stripping overvoltage in a symmetric cell.

A Temperature-Tolerant Magnesium-Ion Battery Using Ball Cactus-like MgVO as High-Performance Cathode.

Safe and high-performance secondary batteries using for all-climate conditions with different temperatures are highly required. Here, we develop a three-dimensional ball cactus-like MgVO as cathode material for magnesium-ion (Mg-ion) batteries. After cycling 300 times, the capacity maintains 111.

A Room-Temperature Self-Healing Liquid Metal-Infilled Microcapsule Driven by Coaxial Flow Focusing for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Battery Anode.

Liquid metals have attracted a lot of attention as self-healing materials in many fields. However, their applications in secondary batteries are challenged by electrode failure and side reactions due to the drastic volume changes during the "liquid-solid-liquid" transition. Herein, a simple encapsulated, mass-producible method is developed to prepare room-temperature liquid metal-infilled microcapsules (LMMs) with highly conductive carbon shells as anodes for lithium-ion batteries.

A metal organic framework-derived octahedral CuS@CoS for secondary batteries displaying long cycle life and stable temperature tolerance.

Low-cost and safe batteries are considered to be promising energy-storage systems. Here, a metal organic framework (MOF)-derived octahedral CuS@CoS composite is developed as a high-performance cathode of aluminium-ion (Al-ion) batteries. CoS nanoparticles on CuS provide active sites, making AlCl intercalation/deintercalation highly reversible, and reducing polarization.

A foldable self-healing rocking chair zinc-ion battery using a three-dimensional zinc metal-free anode.

We developed HTiO·HO on carbon cloth (HTO·HO/CC) as a binder-free Zn metal-free anode. This 'rocking chair' battery incorporated a ZnMnO/CC cathode, HTO·HO/CC anode, and a polyacrylamide-based electrolyte, and exhibited satisfactory flexibility and self-healing. It displayed recoverable capacities after four repetitions of cutting and healing, indicating a potential using as a foldable and wearable battery.

A single-crystalline CoO nanoparticle-assembled three-dimensional chain as an ultra-stable magnesium-ion battery cathode at different temperatures.

Engineering optimal cathode materials is significant for developing stable magnesium-ion (Mg-ion) batteries. Here, we present a single-crystalline CoO nanoparticle-chain three-dimensional (3D) micro/nanostructure as an Mg-ion battery cathode. The hierarchical morphology is composed of radial nanochains self-assembled by single-crystalline nanoparticles, thus significantly facilitating the transfer of electrons and ions.

Rational engineering NiMoOnanosheets or MnOnanowires on FeOmicrodiscs as novel hierarchical anodes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

Since current graphite-based lithium-ion battery anode has a low theoretical capacity, the development of high-performance lithium-ion battery is severely restricted. Here, novel hierarchical composites composing of microdisc and the secondarily grown nanosheets and nanowires are developed, taking NiMoOnanosheets and MnOnanowires growing on FeOmicrodiscs as demonstrating examples. The growth processes of the hierarchical structures have been investigated by adjusting a series of preparation conditions.

A blade-like CoZn metal organic framework-based flexible quasi-solid Zn-ion battery.

Wearable flexible electronics has become more and more significant and popular in daily life. Here, a flexible quasi-solid Zn-ion battery consisting of CoZn-metal organic frameworks (MOFs) grown on carbon cloth as an all-in-one cathode working with a hydrogel electrolyte is developed. CoZn MOFs display a blade-like morphology, which is significant for rapid transfer of ions and electrons.

A Hierarchical SnO@NiMnO Composite for High-Capacity Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Semiconductor-based composites are potential anodes for Li-ion batteries, owing to their high theoretical capacity and low cost. However, low stability induced by large volumetric change in cycling restricts the applications of such composites. Here, a hierarchical SnO@NiMnO composite comprising NiMnO nanoflakes growing on the surface of a three-dimensional (3D) SnO is developed by a hydrothermal synthesis method, achieving good electrochemical performance as a Li-ion battery anode.

Highly-Efficient and Visible Light Photocatalytical Degradation of Organic Pollutants Using TiO-Loaded on Low-Cost Biomass Husk.

A composite composing of TiO nanoparticles load on biomass rice husk (RH) is developed by directly growing TiO nanoparticles on RH. The in-situ growth of the nanocrystals on RH is achieved by a low-cost and one-step homogeneous precipitation. Rapid hydrolysis proceeds at 90 °C by using ammonium fluotitanate and urea to facilitate the selective growth of TiO.

Rational engineering of VS nanorod array on rose-shaped VS nanosheets for high-performance aluminium-ion batteries.

High performance aluminium-ion (Al-ion) batteries are of wide interest owing to the high theoretical capacity, abundance of Al metal and good safety. Here, we develop a hierarchical VS@VS composed of a VS nanorod array grown on VS rose-shaped nanosheets that displays a good electrochemical performance. The VS@VS cathode displays a high capacity of 162.

A flexible self-healing ZnVO(OH)·2HO-based Zn-ion battery under continuous folding and twisting.

Engineering flexible and self-healing batteries is significant for wearable electronics. Here, we develop a flexible self-healing Zn-ion battery with a ZnVO(OH)·2HO cathode working with a polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel electrolyte. The battery achieves a high capacity and robust structure during switching and self-healing, and keeps a stable potential after cutting/healing several times.

A graphene oxide scaffold-encapsulated microcapsule for polysulfide-immobilized long life lithium-sulfur batteries.

Engineering high-performance cathodes for high energy-density lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries is quite significant to achieve commercialization. Here, we develop a graphene oxide scaffold/sulfur composite-encapsulated microcapsule (GSM) for high-performance Li-S batteries, which is prepared through the co-flow focusing (CFF) approach. The GSM-based cathode displays a high capacity of 1004 mA h g at 0.

An Ensemble Learning Platform for the Large-Scale Exploration of New Double Perovskites.

Lead-free double perovskites are regarded as stable and green optoelectronic alternatives to single perovskites, but may exhibit indirect band gaps and high effective masses, thus limiting their maximum photovoltaic efficiency. Considering that the trial-and-error experimental and computational approaches cannot quickly identify ideal candidates, we propose an ensemble learning workflow to screen all suitable double perovskites from the periodic table, with a high predictive accuracy of 92% and a computed speed that is ∼10 faster than ab initio calculations. From ∼23 314 unexplored double perovskites, we successfully identify six candidates that exhibit suitable band gaps (1.

A novel free-standing metal organic frameworks-derived cobalt sulfide polyhedron array for shuttle effect suppressive lithium-sulfur batteries.

Metal-organic-frameworks-derived nanostructures have received broad attention for secondary batteries. However, many strategies focus on the preparation of dispersive materials, which need complicated steps and some additives for making electrodes of batteries. Here, we develop a novel free-standing CoSpolyhedron array derived from ZIF-67, which grows on a three-dimensional carbon cloth for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery.

General Liquid-Driven Coaxial Flow Focusing Preparation of Novel Microcapsules for Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries.

Magnesium batteries have been considered promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems owing to their high energy density, good safety without dendrite formation, and low cost of magnesium resources. However, high-performance cathodes with stable capacity, good conductivity, and fast ions transport are needed, since many conventional cathodes possess a low performance and poor preparation controllability. Herein, a liquid-driven coaxial flow focusing (LDCFF) approach for preparing a novel microcapsule system with controllable size, high loading, and stable magnesium-storage performance is presented.

An oriented laterally-growing NiCoO nanowire array on a FeO microdisc as a high-capacity and excellent rate-performance secondary battery anode.

A novel hierarchical composite consisting of an ordered NiCo2O4 nanowire array growing on the lateral side of a Fe2O3 microdisc is presented, which was confirmed by X-ray holography technology on a synchrotron radiation station. The composite-based Li-ion battery anode exhibits a high capacity of 1528 mA h g-1 after 200 cycles at 0.2C, a recoverable rate-performance after repeated tests, and robust mechanical properties.

An artificial sea urchin with hollow spines: improved mechanical and electrochemical stability in high-capacity Li-Ge batteries.

Metallic germanium (Ge) as the anode can deliver a high specific capacity and high rate capability in lithium ion batteries. However, the large volume expansion largely restrains its further application. Herein, we constructed a three-dimensional sea urchin structure consisting of double layered Ge/TiO nanotubes as the spines via a ZnO template-removing method, which displays a capacity as high as 1060 mA h g over 130 cycles.

A bee pupa-infilled honeycomb structure-inspired LiMnSiO cathode for high volumetric energy density secondary batteries.

Emerging power batteries with both high volumetric energy density and fast charge/discharge kinetics are required for electric vehicles. The rapid ion/electron transport of mesostructured electrodes enables a high electrochemical activity in secondary batteries. However, the typical low fraction of active materials leads to a low volumetric energy density.

A novel tin hybrid nano-composite with double nets of carbon matrixes as a stable anode in lithium ion batteries.

A novel battery hybrid composite anode consisting of tin nanoparticles encapsulated by double nets of carbon matrixes is presented. The improved electron transfer and volume change accommodation are confirmed via density functional theory modeling and in situ transmission electron microscopy observations, respectively.

A prospective, randomized, controlled study of a suspension positioning system used with elderly bedridden patients with neurogenic fecal incontinence.

Elderly patients with acute neurological impairment are prone to severe disability, fecal incontinence (FI), and resultant complications. A suspension positioning system (SPS), based on the orthopedic suspension traction system commonly used for conservative treatment of pediatric femoral fracture and uncomplicated adult pelvic fracture, was developed to facilitate FI management in patients immobilized secondary to an acute neurological condition. To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the system, a prospective, randomized, controlled study was conducted between October 2009 and July 2012.