Homologous Heterostructured NiS/NiS2 @C Hollow Ultrathin Microspheres with Interfacial Electron Redistribution for High-Performance Sodium Storage.

Nickel sulfides with high theoretical capacity are considered as promising anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs); however, their intrinsic poor electric conductivity, large volume change during charging/discharging, and easy sulfur dissolution result in inferior electrochemical performance for sodium storage. Herein, a hierarchical hollow microsphere is assembled from heterostructured NiS/NiS2 nanoparticles confined by in situ carbon layer (H-NiS/NiS2 @C) via regulating the sulfidation temperature of the precursor Ni-MOFs. The morphology of ultrathin hollow spherical shells and confinement of in situ carbon layer to active materials provide rich channels for ion/electron transfer and alleviate the effects of volume change and agglomeration of the material. Consequently, the as-prepared H-NiS/NiS2 @C exhibit superb electrochemical properties, satisfactory initial specific capacity of 953.0 mA h g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 , excellent rate capability of 509.9 mA h g-1 at 2 A g-1 , and superior longtime cycling life with 433.4 mA h g-1 after 4500 cycles at 10 A g-1 . Density functional theory calculation shows that heterogenous interfaces with electron redistribution lead to charge transfer from NiS to NiS2 , and thus favor interfacial electron transport and reduce ion-diffusion barrier. This work provides an innovative idea for the synthesis of homologous heterostructures for high-efficiency SIB electrode materials.

Three new unsaturated fatty acids from marine-derived fungus Aspergillus sp. SCAU150.

Four unsaturated fatty acid derivatives including three new pantheric acids (1-3), together with three known polyketides (5-7), were isolated from a culture broth of the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus sp. SCAU150. Their complete structures were determined by NMR and HRESIMS data analyses. The antifungal activity of the isolated compounds above was evaluated and 2 was found to show moderated activity toward the phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium solani bio-80814 with an inhibition zone diameter of 6 mm under 5 µg/disc.

Metal-Organic Framework-Derived ZnSe- and Co0.85Se-Filled Porous Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanocubes Interconnected by Reduced Graphene Oxide for Sodium-Ion Battery Anodes.

Transition-metal selenides have been considered as one of the most promising anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their high theoretical capacity and excellent rate performance. However, rapid capacity decay and poor cycling stability limit their practical application as the anode for SIBs. Carbon coating is one of the most effective ways to solve the above problems, but the thickness and uniformity of the coating layer are difficult to control. Herein, we successfully synthesize metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived porous N-doped carbon nanocubes homogeneously filled with ZnSe and Co0.85Se and interconnected by reduced graphene oxide (ZCS@NC@rGO). ZCS@NC@rGO with more active sites and the synergistic effect of the ZnSe and Co0.85Se heterojunction can enhance the sodium storage performance. The porous carbon nanocubes effectively prevent the agglomeration of active particles, and the rGO acting as a carbon network can significantly buffer the inevitable volume changes. At the same time, carbon nanocubes and the rGO are interconnecting to form a conductive network to accelerate electron transfer. Based on the aforementioned advantages, the ZCS@NC@rGO electrode shows an excellent sodium storage performance. Our investigation opens up a new horizon for the rational design of transition-metal selenide anodes for SIBs with a unique structure.