Improving the fast-charging capability of NbWO-based Li-ion batteries.

The discovery of Nb-W-O materials years ago marks the milestone of charging a lithium-ion battery in minutes. Nevertheless, for many applications, charging lithium-ion battery within one minute is urgently demanded, the bottleneck of which largely lies in the lack of fundamental understanding of Li storage mechanisms in these materials. Herein, by visualizing Li intercalated into representative NbWO, we find that the fast-charging nature of such material originates from an interesting rate-dependent lattice relaxation process associated with the Jahn-Teller effect.

An Activatable NIR YbZn Cluster for the Detection of Quercetin: Analysis of Host-Guest Interaction and Sensing Mechanism.

A rod-like YbZn nanocluster was constructed, which could be an activatable NIR probe for quercetin, with a short response time (5 s) and a low detection limit (0.75 μM). Theoretical simulations reveal that strong π···π interactions and hydrogen bonding result in good orbital overlap for charge transfer from quercetin to the cluster.

Quasi Fe MIL-53 nanozyme inducing ferroptosis and immunogenic cell death for cancer immunotherapy.

Nanozymes offer diverse therapeutic potentials for cancer treatment which is dependent on the development of nanomaterials. Quasi-metal-organic framework is a class of metal-organic framework-derived nanomaterials with a transition state from metal-organic frameworks towards metal oxide featuring porous structure and high activity. Herein an iron-based quasi-metal-organic framework nanozyme Q-MIL-53(Fe) is reported via a controlled deligandation strategy, exhibiting enhanced peroxidase-/catalase-mimic activity and glutathione depletion capacity, whose underlying mechanisms are studied via density functional theory calculations.

Deep learning-aided preparation and mechanism revaluation of waste wood lignocellulose-based flame-retardant composites.

Wood and its derivatives play a decisive role in traditional Chinese architecture. Waste wood as a major source of garbage in the construction industry represents a valuable source. The efficient recycling of waste wood has become an urgent technical problem in waste recycling research.

Crystal Structure Prediction Meets Artificial Intelligence.

Crystal structure prediction (CSP) represents a fundamental research frontier in computational materials science and chemistry, aiming to predict thermodynamically stable periodic structures from given chemical compositions. Traditional methods often face challenges such as high computational costs and local minima trapping. Recently, artificial intelligence methods, represented by generative adversarial networks (GANs), variational autoencoders (VAEs), diffusion models, and large language models (LLMs), have revolutionized the traditional prediction paradigm.

Rational design of a near-infrared fluorescent probe for rapid monitoring of carboxylesterase in live cells and drug-induced liver injury mice.

Background: Carboxylesterase (CE) is an important enzyme that mainly exists in liver cells and can catalyze the hydrolysis of esters in a variety of pharmaceuticals and xenobiotics. Real-time and non-invasive imaging of CE is of great significance for the study of CE-related metabolic diseases. Although fluorescence sensing technology is considered a promising candidate, the slow response rate (> 60 min), low sensitivity, and short emission wavelength (<650 nm) of most CE probes limit their practical application.

Modulation of starch-polyphenol complex thermal stability and antioxidant activity: The role of polyphenol structure.

Polyphenols are closely related to human health, but thermal treatment causes the loss of polyphenol activity. Complexation between amylose and polyphenol prevents oxidation and degradation of polyphenols during thermal treatment. And the functional properties of the complex are affected by the polyphenol backbone.

Research progress in the preparation of sodium-ion battery anode materials using ball milling.

Sodium-ion batteries are regarded as one of the most promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries due to the greater abundance and lower cost of sodium compared to lithium. However, sodium-ion batteries have not yet been widely adopted. The main reason is that, compared to lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries have lower energy density and shorter cycle life, with the performance of anode materials directly affecting the energy density and cycle stability of sodium-ion batteries.

Multifunctional Flexible Hard Coatings with Weathering Resistance and Heat-Shielding Properties.

Hard, flexible, transparent, and hydrophobic multifunctional coatings have a wide range of applications, but they do not adequately protect against harsh conditions, especially photoaging. In this study, SiO and AlO nanoparticles were first modified by silazane and epoxy-functionalized silanes and then reacted with a polyetheramine curing agent to prepare highly crosslinked multifunctional hybrid coatings at room temperature. Due to the integration of siloxane nanoparticles and a polymer network, the multifunctional coatings presented outstanding hardness (4H), flexibility (bending diameter of 10 mm), and transmittance (>97%).

Electronic metal-support interaction modulates Cu electronic structures for CO electroreduction to desired products.

In this work, the Cu single-atom catalysts (SACs) supported by metal-oxides (AlO-Cu, CeO-Cu, and TiO-Cu) are used as theoretical models to explore the correlations between electronic structures and CORR performances. For these catalysts, the electronic metal-support interaction (EMSI) induced by charge transfer between Cu sites and supports subtly modulates the Cu electronic structure to form different highest occupied-orbital. The highest occupied 3d orbital of AlO-Cu enhances the adsorption strength of CO and weakens C-O bonds through 3d-π* electron back-donation.

Atomic Symbiotic-Catalyst for Low-Temperature Zinc-Air Battery.

Atomic-level designed electrocatalysts, including single-/dual-atom catalysts, have attracted extensive interests due to their maximized atom utilization efficiency and increased activity. Herein, a new electrocatalyst system termed as "atomic symbiotic-catalyst", that marries the advantages of typical single-/dual-atom catalysts while addressing their respective weaknesses, was proposed. In atomic symbiotic-catalyst, single-atom MN and local carbon defects formed under a specific thermodynamic condition, act synergistically to achieve high electrocatalytic activity and battery efficiency.

Schiff Base-Crosslinked Tetra-PEG-BSA Hydrogel: Design, Properties, and Multifunctional Functions.

Hydrogel network structures play a crucial role in determining mechanical properties and have broad applications in biomedical and industrial fields. Therefore, their rational design is essential. Herein, we developed a Schiff base-crosslinked hydrogel through the reaction of Tetra-armed polyethylene glycol with aldehyde end groups (Tetra-PEG-CHO) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) under alkaline conditions.

Crystallization Modulation and Comprehensive Defect Passivation by Carbonyl Functionalized Spacer Cation Towards High-Performance Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

The inverted cesium/formamidinium (CsFA)-based methylammonium-free perovskite solar cells possess great potential in simultaneously realizing high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and excellent stability. However, the uncontrollable crystallization process and poor film quality hinder further enhancement of photovoltaic performance and operational stability. Herein, we propose a synergistic modulation strategy of perovskite crystallization and the defects at grain boundaries (GBs) and interface by using a novel carbonyl functionalized spacer cation.

Preparation of Polydeoxyribonucleotide Nanoliposomes and their Applicability to Cosmetic Formulations.

Introduction: The use of polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) in promoting tissue repair and anti-aging has been hindered by several challenges, including its large molecular weight, susceptibility to decomposition, low bioavailability, and poor stability and skin permeability. Liposome formulation technology has emerged as a promising method in cosmetics, enhancing the penetration and protection of active ingredients.

Method: In this study, a PDRN-loaded nanoliposomal (PDRN-NL) formulation, which exhibited an average particle size of 125 ± 1 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.

Regulating cation-solvent interactions in PVDF-based solid-state electrolytes for advanced Li metal batteries.

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-based solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) have been considered promising candidates for advanced Li metal batteries due to their adequate mechanical strength and acceptable thermal stability. However, the poor compatibility between residual solvent and Li metal inevitably leads to fast capacity decay. Herein, we propose a multifunctional cation-anchor strategy to regulate solvation chemistry in PVDF-based SSEs to boost the electrochemical performance of Li metal batteries.

Modulating ion-dipole interactions in nonflammable phosphonate-based electrolyte for safe and stable sodium-ion pouch cells.

Phosphonate-based electrolytes with the merits of low cost and intrinsic nonflammability are promising candidates to realize the safe operation of sodium-ion batteries. However, they generally suffer from poor interfacial chemistry because of the solvent-dominated solvation structure induced by the strong ion-dipole interactions between cations and phosphonate molecules. Herein, we report an electrolyte design strategy that selectively improves the competitive coordination of low-solvating-power molecules, achieving stable interfacial chemistry with a non-flammable, low-cost and fluorine-free electrolyte.

Activating the high-potential V/V redox couple for an advanced NASICON sodium-ion cathode.

NaVCrTi(PO) with multi-electron redox reactions is designed for high-energy-density sodium-ion batteries. The partial Cr substitution achieves high-potential V activation, achieving an ultra-high capacity of 183.07 mA h g at 20 mA g with 89% retention after 1500 cycles at 1 A g.

Disulfide Bonds Reinforced Self-Assembly of Cellulosic Wastes Toward N/S-Enriched 3D Carbon Foams with Starfish-Like Networks for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

Developing high-performance electrodes derived from cellulosic wastes is an effective strategy for promoting large-scale energy storage and achieving carbon neutrality, yet how to enhance capacitive activity from the perspective of surface-interface structure regulation remains a challenge. Herein, a disulfide bond reinforced self-assembly of cellulosic wastes strategy is demostrated to fabricate 3D carbon foams with thiram and bio-straws as examples. The cellulose-enriched piths of straws (EP) are impregnated with thiram solution followed by pyrolysis, where thiram can form a stable 3D cross-linked networks via disulfide-centered hydrogen bonds reinforced self-assembly of EP and thiram, endowing the obtained starfish-like skeleton connected 3D carbon foams with high N/S contents and hierarchical porous structure.

Molecular engineering of nanocellulose-poly(lactic acid) bio-nanocomposite interface by reactive surface grafting from copolymerization.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a widely reusable polymer, but its practical applications are greatly constrained by low toughness and poor crystallinity. In this study, the modified cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) was designed as a reinforcement through surface copolymerization of caprolactone (CL) and allyl caprolactone (ACL) to enhance the properties of PLA. The surface molecular engineering of reactive core-shell nanofillers (allyl polycaprolactone-grafted CNC, or CNC-g-APCL) effectively improved the interfacial compatibility between PLA and CNC through a straightforward in situ reactive extrusion process.

NBS-mediated C(sp)-H amidation of -dimethylamides with -acyloxyamides.

Presented herein is the NBS-mediated amidation of the C(sp)-H bond adjacent to the nitrogen atom of ,-dimethylamide using -acyloxyamide as the amide source, leading to a diverse array of methylenebisamides. The transformation features mild conditions, excellent functional group tolerance, and high efficiency. The practicality of the methodology was shown by gram-scale synthesis and efficient product derivatization.

Co-MOF-derived carbon nanomaterials with size-controlled FeCo alloys for oxygen evolution.

A porous carbon material with size-controlled FeCo alloys and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was obtained from pyrolysis of a Co-based metal-organic framework (MOF), followed by the Fe-etching process and CNT growth. This catalyst (CoOF-1-FeCoNC-CNT) displayed satisfactory OER activity, attributed to its large specific surface area, improved electrical conductivity, and the synergistic effect of the bimetallic FeCo alloy.

Experimental and theoretical investigation of synergistic effects in a binary ionic liquid system for the selective production of benzaldehyde from lignin model compound.

Lignin is an abundant and cost-effective aromatic polymer, which makes the production of high-value aromatic aldehydes from it highly significant. However, a challenge is that these aldehydes can easily over-oxidation into aromatic acids during aerobic oxidation. Therefore, preventing over-oxidation is crucial.

Electronic Promoter Breaks the Linear Scaling Relationship: Ultra-Rapid High-Temperature Synthesis of Heterostructured CoS/SnO@C as a Bifunctional Oxygen Catalyst for Li-O Batteries.

Li-O batteries urgently needs high discharge capacity and stable cycling performance, requiring effective and reliable bifunctional catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, Hovenia acerba Lindl-like heterostructure composed of cobalt sulfide and tin dioxide supported on carbon substrate (CoS/SnO@C) is prepared via CO laser irradiation technology. The half-wave potential of CoS/SnO@C for the ORR is 0.

Synthesis of YFeO-YFeO Heterogeneous Structure Magnetic Nanomaterials and Preparation of Nanofibers by Coprecipitation Method.

The design and fabrication of yttrium iron oxide-based magnetic nanomaterials play an indispensable role in microelectronic-related fields. The bottleneck still remains, including limited reproducibility and the inability to control the size of the resulting material. In this study, a straightforward coprecipitation method was firstly used for the production of heterogeneous YFeO-YFeO composite with (NH)CO as the precipitant.

Recent advances in electrochemical 1,2-difunctionalization of alkenes: mechanisms and perspectives.

In recent years, significant achievements have been made in the field of electroorganic chemistry regarding the difunctionalization of alkenes. Researchers have developed innovative strategies utilizing the unique reactivity of electrochemical processes to synthesize complex molecules with high regioselectivity and stereoselectivity. This technology is widely applied in the total synthesis of natural products and in the pharmaceutical industry.