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1.
Food Chem ; 451: 139497, 2024 Sep 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38692240

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of different drying technologies including microwave drying (MD), vacuum microwave drying (VMD), sun drying (SD), vacuum drying (VD), hot air drying (HAD), and vacuum freeze drying (VFD) on the physical characteristics, nutritional properties and antioxidant capacities of kiwifruit pomace in order to realize by-product utilization and improve energy efficiency. Results showed that both MD and VMD significantly reduced drying time by >94.6%, compared to traditional thermal drying which took 14-48 h. MD exhibited the highest content of soluble dietary fiber (9.5%) and the lowest energy consumption. Furthermore, VMD resulted in the highest content of vitamin C (198.78 mg/100 g) and reducing sugar (73.78%), and the antioxidant capacities ranked only second to VFD. Given the financial advantages and product quality, VMD was suggested to be advantageous technology in actual industrial production.


Subject(s)
Actinidia , Antioxidants , Desiccation , Fruit , Nutritive Value , Antioxidants/chemistry , Antioxidants/analysis , Actinidia/chemistry , Fruit/chemistry , Desiccation/methods , Desiccation/instrumentation , Freeze Drying , Food Handling/instrumentation , Food Handling/methods , Vacuum , Dietary Fiber/analysis
2.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces ; 16(23): 30055-30067, 2024 Jun 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38814138

ABSTRACT

At present, graphite is a widely used anode material in commercial lithium-ion batteries for its low cost, but the large volume expansion (about 10%) after fully lithiated makes the material prone to cracking and even surface stripping in the cycle. Therefore, the development of zero-strain anode materials (volume change <1%) is of great significance. LiAl5O8 is a zero-strain insertion anode material with a high theoretical specific capacity. However, the Li+ storage mechanism remains unclear, and the cycle life as well as fast-charging capability need to be greatly improved to meet the practical requirements. In this study, LiAl5O8 nanorods are prepared by utilizing aluminum ethoxide nanowires as a soft template and doped with the Zr element to further improve the Li+ diffusion coefficient and electronic conductivity, which in turn improves cycle and rate performances. The Zr-doped LiAl5O8 presents a high reversible capacity of 227.2 mAh g-1 after 20,000 cycles under 5 A g-1, which significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art anode materials. In addition, the Li+ storage mechanisms of LiAl5O8 and Zr-doped LiAl5O8 are clearly clarified with a variety of characterization techniques including nuclear magnetic resonance. This work greatly promotes the practical process of zero-strain insertion anode materials.

3.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl ; : e202405798, 2024 Apr 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38659324

ABSTRACT

RuO2 has been considered as the most likely acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst to replace IrO2, but its performance, especially long-term stability under harsh acidic conditions, is still unacceptable. Here, we propose a grain boundary (GB) engineering strategy by fabricating the ultrathin porous RuO2 nanosheet with abundant of grain boundaries (GB-RuO2) as an efficient acid OER catalyst. The involvement of GB induces significant tensile stress and creates an unsaturated coordination environment, effectively optimizing the adsorption of intermediates and stabilizing active site structure during OER process. Notably, the GB-RuO2 not only exhibits a low overpotential (η10=187 mV) with an ultra-low Tafel slope (34.5 mV dec-1), but also steadily operates for over 550 h in 0.1 M HClO4. Quasi in situ/operando methods confirm that the improved stability is attributed to GB preventing Ru dissolution and greatly inhibiting the lattice oxygen oxidation mechanism (LOM). A proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) using the GB-RuO2 catalyst operates a low voltage of 1.669 V at 2 A cm-2 and operates stably for 100 h at 100 mA cm-2.

4.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 26(7): 5858-5867, 2024 Feb 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38305023

ABSTRACT

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are considered as one of the promising next-generation energy storage devices due to their characteristics of high energy density and low cost. However, the shuttle effect and sluggish conversion of lithium polysulfide (LiPs) have hindered their commercial applications. To address these issues, in our previous works, we have screened several highly efficient single atom catalysts (SACs) (MN4@G, M = V, Mo and W) with atomically dispersed transition metal atoms supported by nitrogen doped graphene based on high throughput calculations. Nevertheless, they still suffer from low loading of metal centers and unsatisfactory capability for accelerating the reaction kinetics. To tackle such problems, based on first-principles calculations, we systematically investigated the heterointerface effect on the catalytic performance of such three MN4@G toward sulfur conversion upon forming heterostructures with 5 typical two-dimensional materials of TiS2, C3N4, BN, graphene and reduced graphene oxide. Guided by efficient descriptors proposed in our previous work, we screened VN4@G/TiS2, MoN4@G/TiS2 and WN4@G/TiS2 possessing low Li2S decomposition barriers of 0.54, 0.44 and 0.41 eV, respectively. They also possess enhanced capabilities for catalyzing the sulfur reduction reaction as well as stabilizing soluble LiPs. More interestingly, the heterointerface can enhance the capability of the carbon atoms far away from the metal centers for trapping LiPs. This work shows that introducing a heterointerface is a promising strategy to boost the performance of SACs in Li-S batteries.

5.
Sci Total Environ ; 917: 170187, 2024 Mar 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38278224

ABSTRACT

Coastal flooding due to sea level rise significantly affects socioeconomic development. The dynamic nature of coastal flood risk (CFR) and socioeconomic development level (SDL) leads to uncertainties in understanding their future interplay. This ambiguity challenges coastal nations in devising effective flood adaptation and coastal management strategies. This study quantitatively examines the expected GDP affected (EGA) and population affected (EPA) by coastal flooding in China's coastal zone (CCZ) from 2030 to 2100 under various climate scenarios (RCP2.6-SSP1, RCP4.5-SSP2, and RCP8.5-SSP5). The future SDL in CCZ is assessed using a method combining the analytic hierarchy process with entropy weight. The future CFR-SDL dynamic relationship is analyzed using the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model. The results reveal that in CCZ under the RCP2.6-SSP1, RCP4.5-SSP2, and RCP8.5-SSP5 scenarios: by 2100, the EGA and EPA will reach $814.90 billion & 6.17 million people, $828.16 billion & 7.63 million people, and $1568.83 billion & 8.05 million people, respectively, where the coastal cities in Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces will face more obvious risks of socioeconomic losses; The total area in the CCZ at "Very high" and "High" level of socioeconomic development by 2100 is projected to reach 11.33 × 103 km2, 12.86 × 103 km2, and 15.82 × 103 km2, respectively, with the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, and Tianjin-Hebei remaining pivotal for CCZ's socioeconomic growth. Cities such as Lianyungang, Jiaxing, Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Foshan show notable CCD characteristics, and addressing the trade-off between SDL and CFR is crucial in achieving sustainable development. This study highlights the potential socioeconomic impacts of coastal flooding and emphasizes the importance of considering the interrelationship between CFR and SDL when developing coastal flood adaptation policies.

6.
Food Res Int ; 176: 113803, 2024 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38163684

ABSTRACT

To extend shelf life of fermented spicy Chinese cabbage sauce at room temperature, the effects of electron beam irradiation (EBI), high pressure processing (HPP), pasteurization (PT) and autoclave sterilization (AS) treatments on the colony counts of Lactobacillus plantarum, phytochemicals, antioxidant activities and volatile compounds were investigated. Results showed that thermal and non-thermal treatments could significantly decrease the colony counts of Lactobacillus plantarum, in which EBI and AS treatments inactivated Lactobacillus plantarum thoroughly. EBI and HPP treatments were superior to PT and AS treatments in terms of volatile compounds, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities. The total contents of volatile compounds in sauces treated by EBI and HPP were significantly increased by 43.92%-61.87% and 71.53%-84.46%, respectively, and the new formed substance 2,3-butanedione endowed sauces with sweet and creamy aroma. In addition, HPP treatment improved the extractable contents of total phenolics and carotenoids, retained capsicum red pigment content, and significantly enhanced antioxidant capacities of sauces. Sauce treated by HPP at 200 MPa exhibited the highest total carotenoid content, DPPH radical scavenging activity and FRAP, increasing by 9.27%, 2.24% and 16.13%, respectively, compared with CK. EBI treatment exhibited higher total phenolic content and FRAP, which positively depended on the dose. Therefore, HPP and EBI treatments were suggested as potential technologies to improve shelf-life stability and volatile compounds of fermented spicy Chinese cabbage sauce.


Subject(s)
Brassica , Lactobacillus plantarum , Antioxidants/analysis , Carotenoids/analysis , Pasteurization , Phenols/chemistry , Phytochemicals
7.
Small ; 20(1): e2305161, 2024 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37641192

ABSTRACT

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) are promising cathode materials for addressing issues faced by lithium-sulfur batteries. Considering the ample chemical space of SACs, high-throughput calculations are efficient strategies for their rational design. However, the high throughput calculations are impeded by the time-consuming determination of the decomposition barrier (Eb ) of Li2 S. In this study, the effects of bond formation and breakage on the kinetics of SAC-catalyzed Li2 S decomposition with g-C3 N4 as the substrate are clarified. Furthermore, a new efficient and easily-obtained descriptor Li─S─Li angle (ALi─S─Li ) of adsorbed Li2 S, different from the widely accepted thermodynamic data for predicting Eb , which breaks the well-known Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi relationship, is identified. Under the guidance of ALi─S─Li , several superior SACs with d- and p-block metal centers supported by g-C3 N4 are screened to accelerate the sulfur redox reaction and fix the soluble lithium polysulfides. The newly identified descriptor of ALi─S─Li can be extended to rationally design SACs for Na─S batteries. This study opens a new pathway for tuning the performance of SACs to catalyze the decomposition of X2 S (X = Li, Na, and K) and thus accelerate the design of SACs for alkaline-chalcogenide batteries.

8.
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry ; 33(4): 1017-1028, 2024 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37166521

ABSTRACT

The present study measured serum levels of vitamin A (VA) and vitamin D (VD) in children with chronic tic disorders (CTD) and investigated their potential association with CTD and comorbidity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the association of their co-insufficiencies or deficiencies with CTD symptoms. A total of 176 children (131 boys and 45 girls, median age of 9 years) with CTD were recruited as the CTD group. During the same period, 154 healthy children were selected as the healthy control (HC) cohort. Circulating retinol and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels were measured for all participants using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and tandem mass spectrometry. The Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) was employed for the assessment of tic status and CTD impairment. The Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale (SNAP-IV) and the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) were used to evaluate comorbidity symptoms. CTD pediatric participants exhibited markedly diminished circulating retinol and 25(OH)D levels compared to HCs. Moreover, VA and VD deficiencies and their co-insufficiencies/deficiencies were more prevalent in CTD participants than HCs. Circulating 25(OH)D levels were inversely proportional to the YGTSS motor tic scores. YGTSS scores in CTD children with only VA or VD insufficiency or deficiency or with VA and VD co-insufficiency/deficiency did not differ from those in CTD children with normal VA and VD. CTD children with comorbid ADHD displayed reduced circulating retinol and 25(OH)D concentrations and elevated prevalence of VD deficiency compared to CTD participants without comorbid ADHD. Lower serum retinol content was intricately linked to the presence of elevated CTD and comorbid ADHD. VA and VD deficiencies and their co-insufficiencies/deficiencies were markedly enhanced in CTD pediatric participants compared to HCs. Lower VA concentration was linked to the presence of enhanced CTD and comorbid ADHD. Therefore, children with CTD, especially with comorbid ADHD, may be at a higher risk of VA or VD deficiency, which may prompt the clinicians to consider whether blood tests for VA and VD in CTD children would be helpful for clinical care.

9.
Nano Lett ; 23(24): 11742-11748, 2023 Dec 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38064584

ABSTRACT

Two-dimensional (2D) materials with exotic transport behaviors have attracted extensive interest in microelectronics and condensed matter physics, while scaled-up 2D thin films compatible with the efficient wet-chemical etching process represent realistic advancement toward new-generation integrated functional devices. Here, thickness-controllable growth and chemical patterning of high-quality Bi2O2Te continuous films are demonstrated. Noticeably, except for an ultrahigh mobility (∼45074 cm2 V-1 s-1 at 2 K) and obvious Shubnikov-de Hass quantum oscillations, a 2D transport channel and large linear magnetoresistance are revealed in the patterned Bi2O2Te films. Investigation implies that the linear magnetoresistance correlates with the inhomogeneity described by P. B. Littlewood's theory and EMT-RRN theory developed recently. These results not only reveal the nonsaturating linear magnetoresistance in high-quality Bi2O2Te but shed light on understanding the corresponding physical origin of linear magnetoresistance in 2D high-mobility semiconductors and providing a pathway for the potential application in multifunctional electronic devices.

10.
Nat Commun ; 14(1): 7359, 2023 Nov 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37968270

ABSTRACT

Widespread lake drainage can lead to large-scale drying in Arctic lake-rich areas, affecting hydrology, ecosystems and permafrost carbon dynamics. To date, the spatio-temporal distribution, driving factors, and post-drainage dynamics of lake drainage events across the Arctic remain unclear. Using satellite remote sensing and surface water products, we identify over 35,000 (~0.6% of all lakes) lake drainage events in the northern permafrost zone between 1984 and 2020, with approximately half being relatively understudied non-thermokarst lakes. Smaller, thermokarst, and discontinuous permafrost area lakes are more susceptible to drainage compared to their larger, non-thermokarst, and continuous permafrost area counterparts. Over time, discontinuous permafrost areas contribute more drained lakes annually than continuous permafrost areas. Following drainage, vegetation rapidly colonizes drained lake basins, with thermokarst drained lake basins showing significantly higher vegetation growth rates and greenness levels than their non-thermokarst counterparts. Under warming, drained lake basins are likely to become more prevalent and serve as greening hotspots, playing an important role in shaping Arctic ecosystems.

11.
Biology (Basel) ; 12(10)2023 Oct 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37887025

ABSTRACT

Little is known about how changes in the biodiversity and functional traits of macroinvertebrates in rivers respond to the responses of anthropic pressures and their driving factors. Macroinvertebrates were sampled at 17 sites in the Irtysh River Basin and classified macroinvertebrates into 10 traits and 38 categories between May and August 2022. Then, we performed R-mode linked to Q-mode (RLQ) analysis and calculated functional richness, evenness, divergence, and Rao's quadratic entropy (RaoQ) for each site and community-weighted means for each trait category. Our results indicated that there were pronounced alterations in species variability in the urban region. Functional divergence indicated fierce competition among species and considerable niche overlap in the urban region. Functional evenness indicated that species abundance distribution and interspecific functional distance were not uniform in the urban region. Functional richness indicated that the urban region was the strongest region in terms of niche occupation, resource utilization, and buffering capacity for environmental fluctuations. Rao's quadratic entropy showed that the trait difference of macroinvertebrates was the largest in all regions, which was caused by the gradient environmental difference. Research has revealed that urbanization significantly influences the evolutionary trajectory of macroinvertebrate fauna, culminating in an upsurge in pollution-tolerant species and a convergence of functional traits. We recommend strengthening the control of urban and industrial pollution and wise planning and management of land and water resources to mitigate the impact of anthropogenic destruction on habitat fragmentation in the Irtysh River Basin.

12.
J Colloid Interface Sci ; 652(Pt B): 1347-1355, 2023 Dec 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37666189

ABSTRACT

Noble metal free electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acid play an important role in proton exchange membrane-based electrolysis. Here, we develop an in situ surface self-reconstruction strategy to construct excellent acidic HER catalysts. Firstly, free-standing zinc nickel tungstate nanosheets inlaid with nickel tungsten alloy nanoparticles were synthesized on carbon cloth as pre-catalyst via metal-organic framework derived method. Amorphous nickel tungsten oxide (Ni-W-O) layer is in situ formed on surface of nanosheet as actual HER active site with the dissolution of NiW alloy nanoparticles and the leaching of cations. While the morphology of the free-standing structure remains the same, keeping the maximized exposure of active sites and serving as the electron transportation framework. As a result, benefiting from disordered arrangement of atoms and the synergistic effect between Ni and W atoms, the amorphous Ni-W-O layer exhibits an excellent acidic HER activity with only an overpotential of 46 mV to drive a current density of 10 mA cm-2 and a quite good Tafel slope of 36.4 mV dec-1 as well as an excellent durability. This work enlightens the exploration of surface evolution of catalysts during HER in acidic solution and employs it as a strategy for designing acidic HER catalysts.

13.
J Am Chem Soc ; 145(38): 20975-20984, 2023 Sep 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37703097

ABSTRACT

The progress of unconventional superconductors at the two-dimensional (2D) limit has inspired much interest. Recently, a new superconducting system was discovered in the semimetallic ternary Bi-O-S family. However, pure-phase crystals are difficult to synthesize because of the complicated stacking sequence of multiple charged layers and similar formation kinetics among ternary polytypes, leaving several fundamental issues regarding the structure-superconductivity correlation unresolved. Herein, 2D single-crystal ultrathin Bi3O2S3 nanosheets are prepared by using low-pressure chemical vapor deposition, and their atomic arrangement is clarified. Magnetotransport measurements indicate a superconducting transition at ∼6.1 K that is thickness-independent. The transport results demonstrate 2D superconducting characteristics, such as the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition, and strong anisotropy with magnetic field orientations following the 2D Tinkham formula. The difference from superconductivity of powder is demonstrated from the perspective of their corresponding microstructures. These results corroborate the superconducting behavior of Bi3O2S3, providing fresh insights into the search for other bismuth oxychalcogenides and derivative BiS2-based analogues at the 2D limit.

14.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 25(37): 25761-25771, 2023 Sep 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37724050

ABSTRACT

Electrocatalysis is involved in many energy storage and conversion devices, triggering research and development of electrocatalysts, particularly single-atom catalysts (SACs). The introduction of the strain effect to enhance the performance of SACs has drawn ever-increasing research attention, which can tailor the local atomic and electronic structure of active sites. Herein, via high throughput calculations, we have explored the effects of strain on the catalytic performance of SACs with MN4 configuration for electrochemical reactions of N2 and O2 by incorporating d- and p-block single metal atoms into BN nanocages (BNNCs). The calculations demonstrate that Os@BNNC exhibits the highest catalytic activity for the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) with a limiting potential of -0.29 V. Co@BNNC can serve as an excellent bifunctional SAC for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), with overpotentials of 0.32 and 0.37 V, respectively. In particular, Sn@BNNC with a p-block metal as the active center is a competitive SAC for the ORR with an overpotential of 0.64 V. More interestingly, the NRR and ORR performances of SACs supported by BNNCs have a close correlation with the structural and electronic properties of adsorbed N2 and O2 molecules, which proves that controlling the adsorption energy of N2 and O2 molecules is crucial to improving the catalytic activity of BNNC. The current investigation opens up an avenue for designing SACs embedded in nanocages possessing intrinsically curved surfaces for electrochemical reactions.

15.
Genes (Basel) ; 14(7)2023 06 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37510261

ABSTRACT

In order to resolve the long-standing controversy surrounding the relationships within the Triplophysa genus, we conducted an extensive analysis of the complete mitogenome of Triplophysa labiata using DNBSEQ short reads. Additionally, we reconstructed the phylogeny of the Nemacheilidae family using mitogenome data. By comparing all available mitogenomes within the Triplophysa genus, we gained valuable insights into its evolutionary history. Our findings revealed that the mitogenome sequence of T. labiata is circular, spanning a length of 16,573 bp. It encompasses 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), 2 ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), and a control region (D-loop). Among the PCGs, the start codon ATG was commonly observed, except in cox1, while the stop codons TAA/TAG/T were found in all PCGs. Furthermore, purifying selection was evident across all PCGs. Utilizing maximum likelihood (ML) methods, we employed the 13 PCGs and the concatenated nucleotide sequences of 30 Triplophysa mitogenomes to infer the phylogeny. Our results strongly supported the division of the Triplophysa genus into four primary clades. Notably, our study provides the first evidence of the close relationship between T. labiata and T. dorsalis. These findings serve as a significant foundation for future investigations into the mitogenomics and phylogeny of Nemacheilidae fishes, paving the way for further advancements in this field of research.


Subject(s)
Cypriniformes , Genome, Mitochondrial , Animals , Phylogeny , Genome, Mitochondrial/genetics , RNA, Ribosomal/genetics , RNA, Transfer/genetics , Codon, Terminator , Cypriniformes/genetics
16.
Sensors (Basel) ; 23(10)2023 May 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37430740

ABSTRACT

The electrical performance of the feed array is degraded because of the position deviation of the array elements caused by manufacturing and processing, which cannot meet the high performance feeding requirements of large feed arrays. In this paper, a radiation field model of the helical antenna array considering the position deviation of array elements is proposed to investigate the influence law of position deviation on the electrical performance of the feed array. With the established model, the rectangular planar array and the circular array of the helical antenna with a radiating cup are discussed and the relationship between electrical performance index and position deviation is established by numerical analysis and curve fitting method. The research results show that the position deviation of the antenna array elements will lead to the rise of the sidelobe level, the deviation of the beam pointing, and the increase of the return loss. The valuable simulation results provided by this work can be used in antenna engineering, guiding antenna designers to set optimal parameters when fabricating antennae.

17.
Nat Commun ; 14(1): 3591, 2023 Jun 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37328496

ABSTRACT

Aqueous sodium-ion batteries (AIBs) are promising candidates for large-scale energy storage due to their safe operational properties and low cost. However, AIBs have low specific energy (i.e., <80 Wh kg-1) and limited lifespans (e.g., hundreds of cycles). Mn-Fe Prussian blue analogues are considered ideal positive electrode materials for AIBs, but they show rapid capacity decay due to Jahn-Teller distortions. To circumvent these issues, here, we propose a cation-trapping method that involves the introduction of sodium ferrocyanide (Na4Fe(CN)6) as a supporting salt in a highly concentrated NaClO4-based aqueous electrolyte solution to fill the surface Mn vacancies formed in Fe-substituted Prussian blue Na1.58Fe0.07Mn0.97Fe(CN)6 · 2.65H2O (NaFeMnF) positive electrode materials during cycling. When the engineered aqueous electrolyte solution and the NaFeMnF-based positive electrode are tested in combination with a 3, 4, 9, 10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide-based negative electrode in a coin cell configuration, a specific energy of 94 Wh kg-1 at 0.5 A g-1 (specific energy based on the active material mass of both electrodes) and a specific discharge capacity retention of 73.4% after 15000 cycles at 2 A g-1 are achieved.


Subject(s)
Ferrocyanides , Sodium , Solubility , Electrolytes , Ions
18.
Adv Sci (Weinh) ; 10(24): e2302152, 2023 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37358311

ABSTRACT

Zn-N-C possesses the intrinsic inertia for Fenton-like reaction and can retain robust durability in harsh circumstance, but it is often neglected in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) because of its poor catalytic activity. Zn is of fully filled 3d10 4s2 configuration and is prone to evaporation, making it difficult to regulate the electronic and geometric structure of Zn center. Here, guided by theoretical calculations, five-fold coordinated single-atom Zn sites with four in-plane N ligands is constructed and one axial O ligand (Zn-N4 -O) by ionic liquid-assisted molten salt template method. Additional axial O not only triggers a geometry transformation from the planar structure of Zn-N4 to the non-planar structure of Zn-N4 -O, but also induces the electron transfer from Zn center to neighboring atoms and lower the d-band center of Zn atom, which weakens the adsorption strength of *OH and decreases the energy barrier of rate determining step of ORR. Consequently, the Zn-N4 -O sites exhibit improved ORR activity and excellent methanol tolerance with long-term durability. The Zn-air battery assembled by Zn-N4 -O presents a maximum power density of 182 mW cm-2 and can operate continuously for over 160 h. This work provides new insights into the design of Zn-based single atom catalysts through axial coordination engineering.

19.
Small ; 19(39): e2301005, 2023 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37246249

ABSTRACT

Electrolyte engineering is a feasible strategy to realize high energy density lithium metal batteries. However, stabilizing both lithium metal anodes and nickel-rich layered cathodes is extremely challenging. To break through this bottleneck, a dual-additives electrolyte containing fluoroethylene carbonate (10 vol.%) and 1-methoxy-2-propylamine (1 vol.%) in conventional LiPF6 -containing carbonate-based electrolyte is reported. The two additives can polymerize and thus generate dense and uniform LiF and Li3 N-containing interphases on both electrodes' surfaces. Such robust ionic conductive interphases not only prevent lithium dendrite formation in lithium metal anode but also suppress stress-corrosion cracking and phase transformation in nickel-rich layered cathode. The advanced electrolyte enables Li||LiNi0.8 Co0.1 Mn0.1 O2 stably cycle for 80 cycles at 60 mA g-1 with a specific discharge capacity retention of 91.2% under harsh conditions.

20.
Nat Commun ; 14(1): 2305, 2023 Apr 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37085541

ABSTRACT

In nature, the human body is a perfect self-organizing and self-repairing system, with the skin protecting the internal organs and tissues from external damages. In this work, inspired by the human skin, we design a metal electrode skin (MES) to protect the metal interface. MES can increase the flatness of electrode and uniform the electric field distribution, inhibiting the growth of dendrites. In detail, an artificial film made of fluorinated graphene oxide serves as the first protection layer. At molecular level, fluorine is released and in-situ formed a robust SEI as the second protection "skin" for metal anode. As a result, Cu@MES | | K asymmetric cell is able to achieve an unprecedented cycle life (over 1600 cycles). More impressively, the full cell of K@MES | | Prussian blue exhibits a long cycle lifespan over 5000 cycles. This work illustrates a mechanism for metal electrode protection and provides a strategy for the applying bionics in batteries.

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