Hollow porous BiOCl microspheres assembled with single layer of nanocrystals: spray solution combustion synthesis and the enhanced photocatalytic properties.

The hollow porous microspheres assembled with BiOCl nanocrystals were successfully synthesized via a facile spray solution combustion synthesis method. The microstructure, morphology, absorbance, optical properties of the samples were investigated in detail. The results show that hollow porous BiOCl microspheres have narrow band gaps (2.

Ti-doped α-FeO nanorods with controllable morphology by carbon layer coating for enhanced photoelectrochemical water oxidation.

Ti-doped α-FeO nanorods (NRs) with carbon layer coating were fabricated for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation. The α-FeO NRs were grown on the surface of a Ti foil substrate by hydrothermal synthesis. Ti was diffused from the Ti substrate and doped into the α-FeO NRs by sintering at 800 °C.

Studies on electrochemical performances of novel electrolytes for wide-temperature-range lithium-ion batteries.

Wide-temperature electrochemical behaviors of sulfolane (SL) with lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiODFB) are studied using dimethyl sulfite (DMS) and diethyl sulfite (DES) as mixed solvents, respectively. In LiFePO4/Li cells, LiODFB-SL/DMS and LiODFB-SL/DES electrolytes always exert several advantages over a wide temperature range, such as stable cycling performance and good rate performance. Besides, in Li/mesophase carbon microbead cells, these novel electrolytes respectively exhibit excellent film-forming characteristics at both +60 and -20 °C, such as the formation of a stable and conductive SEI layer.