Metal-organic framework derived yolk-shell NiS2/carbon spheres for lithium-sulfur batteries with enhanced polysulfide redox kinetics.

Yolk-shell NiS2/carbon spheres (yolk-shell NiS2/C) have been synthesized by one-step annealing of yolk-shell Ni-metal-organic framework spheres. In particular, both the inner yolk sphere and the outer shell of yolk-shell NiS2/C can provide catalytically active sites for the redox of polysulfide confined in the yolk-shell structure, providing enhanced redox kinetics. A yolk-shell NiS2/C-sulfur cathode exhibits a high rate capacity of 569 mA h g-1 at 2C and shows excellent cycling stability, demonstrating the superiority of the yolk-shell structure.

3D Interconnected MoS2 with Enlarged Interlayer Spacing Grown on Carbon Nanofibers as a Flexible Anode Toward Superior Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has attracted extensive research interest as a fascinating anode for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) because of its high specific capacity of 670 mA h g-1. However, unsatisfied cycling durability and poor rate performance are two barriers that hinder MoS2 for practical application in SIBs. Herein, 3D interconnected MoS2 with enlarged interlayer spacing epitaxially grown on 1D electrospinning carbon nanofibers (denoted as MoS2@CNFs) was prepared as a flexible anode for SIBs via l-cysteine-assisted hydrothermal method. Benefitting from the C-O-Mo bonding between the CNFs and MoS2 as well as the rational design with novel structure, including the well-retained 3D interconnected and conductive MoS2@CNFs networks and expanded (002) plane interlayer space, the flexible MoS2@CNFs electrode achieves a remarkable specific capacity (528 mA h g-1 at 100 mA g-1), superior rate performance (412 mA h g-1 at 1 A g-1), and ultralong cycle life (over 600 cycles at 1 A g-1 with excellent Coulombic efficiencies exceeding 99%). The elaborate strategy developed in this work opens a new avenue to prepare highly improved energy storage materials, especially suitable for flexible electronics.

Multifunctional optical sensing probes based on organic-inorganic hybrid composites.

Several hybrid sensing materials, which are prepared by the covalent grafting of organic fluorescent molecules onto inorganic supports, have emerged as a novel and promising class of hybrid sensing probes and have attracted tremendous interest. In comparison to the organic fluorescent sensors, the hybrid sensing probes incorporate the beneficial chemical/physical properties of the organic molecules and inorganic materials, which accelerate the development of hybrid materials for ion recognition and removal. Hence, the novel hybrid sensing materials can selectively monitor and efficiently remove specific analytes, which can provide a novel opportunity to synthesize multifunctional hybrid materials. Considerable efforts have been devoted to developing effective and innovative approaches for the design and synthesis of hybrid sensing materials that can display highly desirable performance for ion detection and removal. This tutorial review firstly presents a brief description of the hybrid materials and mesoporous silica materials and then classifies the hybrid sensing materials into several categories, including mesoporous silica based hybrid sensors, magnetic core-shell particle based hybrid sensors, magnetic nanoparticle based hybrid sensors, polymer based hybrid sensors, surface-grafted composite based hybrid sensors, and host-guest interaction based hybrid sensors, followed by a detailed summary of the design and synthesis of hybrid sensing materials and their applications in environmental and biological fields. Hopefully, this review will provide perspectives and guidelines for the development and further research of hybrid sensing materials.