Enhancing oxygen evolution efficiency of multiferroic oxides by spintronic and ferroelectric polarization regulation.

Regulating the electronic structure of catalysts is the most efficient strategy yet, despite its limitations, to improve their oxygen evolution efficiency. Instead of only adjusting the electronic structure, here we utilize ferroelectric polarization to accelerate the oxygen evolution reaction as well. This is demonstrated on a multiferroic layered perovskite Bi5CoTi3O15 with in-situ grown BiCoO3. Thanks to the superimposed effects of electronic regulation and ferroelectric polarization, the as-prepared multiferroic electrocatalysts are more efficient than the benchmark IrO2 (with a final 320 mV overpotential at the current density of 10 mA cm-2 and a 34 mV dec-1 Tafel slope). This work not only demonstrates a low-cost and high-efficient OER electrocatalyst, but also provides a strategic design for multi-component electrocatalytic material systems by consideration of both spin and polarization degrees of freedom.

Smart design of free-standing ultrathin Co-Co(OH)2 composite nanoflakes on 3D nickel foam for high-performance electrochemical capacitors.

Ultrathin Co-Co(OH)2 composite nanoflakes have been fabricated through electrodeposition on 3D nickel foam. As electrochemical capacitor electrodes, they exhibit a high specific capacitance of 1000 F g(-1) at the scan rate of 5 mV s(-1) and 980 F g(-1) at the current density of 1 A g(-1), respectively, and the retention of capacitance is 91% after 5000 cycles.

Lotus leaf-like dual-scale silver film applied as a superhydrophobic and self-cleaning substrate.

Lotus leaf-like and petal-like substrates were fabricated by chemical deposition, which have quite different superhydrophobic properties. Excellent, non-sticky, self-cleaning and durable properties were obtained based on the lotus leaf-like substrate.

Highly durable non-sticky silver film with a microball-nanosheet hierarchical structure prepared by chemical deposition.

Non-sticky and highly adhesive superhydrophobic microball-nanosheet hierarchically structured silver films were obtained after surface modification and storage respectively.

Tetra-kis-(µ-benzoato-κO:O')bis{[4-(di-methyl-amino)-pyridine-κN]zinc(II)}.

In the centrosymmetric binuclear title complex, [Zn(2)(C(7)H(5)O(2))(4)(C(7)H(10)N(2))(2)], the Zn atoms [Zn⋯Zn = 3.0037 (6) Å] are bridged by four benzoate ligands. Each of the Zn atoms assumes an approximately square-pyramidal environment, with four O atoms in a plane and the pyridine N atom at the apical site.

Tris(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-κN)(pyridine-2,6-dicarboxyl-ato-κO,N,O)cobalt(II) monohydrate.

The reaction of Co(NO(3))(2)·3H(2)O with pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid and 3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole in a 1:1:3 molar ratio affords the title complex, [Co(C(7)H(3)NO(4))(C(5)H(8)N(2))(3)]·H(2)O. The Co(II) atom is coordinated by one pyridine-2,6-dicarboxyl-ate chelating ligand and three 3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole ligands in a distorted octa-hedral geometry. Hydrogen-bonding interactions involving the coordinated carboxylate group, 3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole and water help to consolidate the crystal structure.