Due to the rapidly increasing demand for energy and environmental sustainability, stable and economical hydrogen production has received increasing attention in the past decades. In this regard, hydrogen production th...Due to the rapidly increasing demand for energy and environmental sustainability, stable and economical hydrogen production has received increasing attention in the past decades. In this regard, hydrogen production through photo-or electrocatalytic water splitting has continued to gain ever-growing interest. However, the existing catalysts are still unable to fulfill the demands of highefficiency, low-cost, and sustainable hydrogen production.Layered metal trichalcogenidophosphate(MPQ_3) is a newly developed two-dimensional material with tunable composition and electronic structure. Recently, MPQ_3 has been considered a promising candidate for clean energy generation and related water splitting applications. In this minireview, we firstly introduce the structure and methods for the synthesis of MPQ_3 materials. In the following sections, recent developments of MPQ_3 materials for photo-and electrocatalytic water splitting are briefly summarized. The roles of MPQ_3 materials in different reaction systems are also discussed. Finally, the challenges related to and prospects of MPQ_3 materials are presented on the basis of the current developments.展开更多
Herein, we report on the synthesis and Li-ion storage properties of the 0D–2D nanohybrid consisted of bimetal phosphorus trisulfides nanoneedles（Co_（0.5）Ni_（0.5）PS_3） and graphene nanosheets（denoted as Co_（0....Herein, we report on the synthesis and Li-ion storage properties of the 0D–2D nanohybrid consisted of bimetal phosphorus trisulfides nanoneedles（Co_（0.5）Ni_（0.5）PS_3） and graphene nanosheets（denoted as Co_（0.5）Ni_（0.5）PS_3@G）. By choosing the Co_（0.5）Ni_（0.5）（OH）_2 nanoneedles as precursor, the Co_（0.5）Ni_（0.5）PS_3 derived by a simple solid-state transformation（SST） process was successfully attached onto the graphene surface.The as-prepared nanohybrids showed a superior cycling stability and rate performance for Li-ion storage.After cycling at a current density of 0.5 A g^（-1） for 500 cycles, the capacity are 456 mAh g^（-1）. Particularly,the capacity can reach 302 mAh g^（-1） at a current density of 10 A g^（-1）, which is 66.2% of the capacity at0.5 A g^（-1）. Even cycling at a current density of 50 A g^（-1）, the nanocomposite can still kept a capacity of 153 mAh g^（-1） with a capacity retention of 33.6%.展开更多
This review article delves into the development of electrolytes for flexible zinc-air batteries(FZABs),a critical component driving the advancement of flexible electronics.We started by surveying the current advanceme...This review article delves into the development of electrolytes for flexible zinc-air batteries(FZABs),a critical component driving the advancement of flexible electronics.We started by surveying the current advancements in electrolyte technologies,including solid-state and gel-based types,and their contributions to enhance the flexibility,efficiency,and durability of FZABs.Secondly,we explored the challenges in this domain,focusing on maintaining electrolyte stability under mechanical stress,ensuring compatibility with flexible substrates,optimizing ion conductivity,and under harsh environmental conditions.Furthermore,the key issues regarding interface details between electrolyte and the electrodes are covered as well.We then discussed the future of electrolyte development in FZABs,highlighting potential avenues such as materials development,sustainability,in-situ studies,and battery integration.This review offers an in-depth overview of the advancements,challenges,and potential breakthroughs in creating electrolytes for FZABs over the past five years.It serves as a guide for both researchers and industry professionals in this dynamic area.展开更多
Erratum to Nano Research,2024,17(7):6058-6079 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-024-6555-z The name and affiliation of the seventh author,Janet Beng Hoon Tan,were incorrectly labeled.The corrections have been made to the...Erratum to Nano Research,2024,17(7):6058-6079 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-024-6555-z The name and affiliation of the seventh author,Janet Beng Hoon Tan,were incorrectly labeled.The corrections have been made to the online version of the original article.展开更多
Phase change materials(PCMs)are promising thermal energy storage materials due to their high specific latent heat.Conventional PCMs typically exploit the solid–liquid(s–l)transition.However,leakage and leaching are ...Phase change materials(PCMs)are promising thermal energy storage materials due to their high specific latent heat.Conventional PCMs typically exploit the solid–liquid(s–l)transition.However,leakage and leaching are common issues for solid–liquid PCMs,which have to be addressed before usage in practical applications.In contrast,solid–solid(s–s)PCMs would naturally overcome these issues due to their inherent form stability and homogeneity.In this study,we report a new type of s–s PCM based on chemically linked polyethylene glycol(PEG,the PCM portion)with polylactic acid(PLA,the support portion)in the form of a block co‐polymer.Solid‐solid latent heat of up to 56 J/g could be achieved,with melting points of between 44°C and 55°C.For comparison,PEG was physically mixed into a PLA matrix to form a PEG:PLA composite.However,the composite material saw leakage of up to 9%upon heating,with a corresponding loss in thermal storage capacity.In contrast,the mPEG/PLA block co‐polymers were found to be completely homogeneous and thermally stable even when heated above its phase transition temperature,with no observable leakage,demonstrating the superiority of chemical linking strategies in ensuring form stability.展开更多
Li metal has been recognized as the most promising anode materials for next-generation high-energy-density batteries,however,the inherent issues of dendrite growth and huge volume fluctuations upon Li plating/strippin...Li metal has been recognized as the most promising anode materials for next-generation high-energy-density batteries,however,the inherent issues of dendrite growth and huge volume fluctuations upon Li plating/stripping normally result in fast capacity fading and safety concerns.Functionalized Cu current collectors have so far exhibited significant regulatory effects on stabilizing Li metal anodes(LMAs),and hold a great practical potential owing to their easy fabrication,low-cost and good compatibility with the existing battery technology.In this review,a comprehensive overview of Cu-based current collectors,including planar modified Cu foil,3D architectured Cu foil and nanostructured 3D Cu substrates,for Li metal batteries is provided.Particularly,the design principles and strategies of functionalized Cu current collectors associated with their functionalities in optimizing Li plating/stripping behaviors are discussed.Finally,the critical issues where there is incomplete understanding and the future research directions of Cu current collectors in practical LMAs are also prospected.This review may shed light on the critical understanding of current collector engineering for high-energy-density Li metal batteries.展开更多
The utilization of chelation reaction between metals and tannins is a common tanning method in leather chemistry.Herein,a novel combination tanning mechanism inspired environmentally benign catalyst(CMBT-Fe^(0))was sy...The utilization of chelation reaction between metals and tannins is a common tanning method in leather chemistry.Herein,a novel combination tanning mechanism inspired environmentally benign catalyst(CMBT-Fe^(0))was synthesized by immobilizing Fe nanoparticles onto bayberry tannin(BT)grafted chitosan microfibers(CM).The obtained catalyst featured a well-defined microfibrous structure,on which Fe^(0)nanoparticles were highly dispersed to exhibit exceptional catalytic activity for the degradation of tetracycline(TC).The catalytic activity of CMBT-Fe^(0)was 1.72 times higher than that of the commercial Fe^(0)nanoparticles without immobilization,with 95.03%of TC degraded within 90.0 min.The CMBT-Fe^(0)catalysts were recycled 6 times,with the removal rate of TC maintained at 82.56%.Furthermore,a possible mechanism responsible for the catalytic removal of TC was provided by analyzing the catalytic degradation products via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.Therefore,our investigation successfully developed efficient catalysts to address the concerned environmental issue of antibiotic pollution.展开更多
Developing sustainable and clean energy-conversion techniques is one of the strategies to simultaneously meet the global energy demand,save fossil fuels and protect the environment,in which nanocatalysts with high act...Developing sustainable and clean energy-conversion techniques is one of the strategies to simultaneously meet the global energy demand,save fossil fuels and protect the environment,in which nanocatalysts with high activity,selectivity and durability are of great importance.Intermetallic nanocrystals,featuring their ordered atomic arrangements and predictable electronic structures,have been recognized as a type of active and durable catalysts in energy-related applications.In this minireview,the very recent progress in the syntheses and electrocatalytic applications of noble metal-based intermetallic nanocrystals is summarized.Various synthetic strategies,including the conventional thermal annealing approach and its diverse modifications,as well as the wet-chemical synthesis,for the construction of binary,ternary and high-entropy intermetallic nanocrystals have been discussed with representative examples,highlighting their strengths and limitations.Then,their electrocatalytic applications toward oxygen reduction reaction,small molecule oxidation reactions,hydrogen evolution reaction,CO_(2)/CO reduction reactions,and nitrogen reduction reaction are discussed,with the emphasis on how the ordered intermetallic structures contribute to the enhanced performance.We conclude the minireview by addressing the current challenges and opportunities of intermetallic nanocrystals in terms of syntheses and electrocatalytic applications.展开更多
Considering the high safety,low-cost and high capacity,aqueous zinc ion batteries have been a potential candidate for energy storage ensuring smooth electricity supply.Herein,we have synthesized inverse opal manganese...Considering the high safety,low-cost and high capacity,aqueous zinc ion batteries have been a potential candidate for energy storage ensuring smooth electricity supply.Herein,we have synthesized inverse opal manganese dioxide constructed by few-layered ultrathin nanosheets by a solution template method at mild temperature.The ultrathin nanosheets with the thickness as small as 1 nm are well separated without obvious aggregation.Used as cathode material for aqueous zinc ion batteries,the few-layered ultrathin nanosheets combined with the inverse opal structure guarantee excellent performance.A high specific discharge capacity of 262.9 mAh·g^-1 is retained for the 100th cycle at a current density of 300 mA·g^-1 with a high capacity retention of 95.6%.A high specific discharge capacity of 121 mAh·g^-1 at a high current density of 2,000 mA·g^-1 is achieved even after 5,000 long-term cycles.The ex-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns,selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) results demonstrate that the discharge/charge processes involve the reversible formation of zinc sulfate hydroxide hydrate on the cathode while in-plane crystal structure of the layered bimessite MnO2 could be maintained.This unique structured MnO2 is a promising candidate as cathode material for high capacity,high rate capability and long-term aqueous zinc-ion batteries.展开更多
We report a facile way to grow various porous NiO nanostructures including nanoslices,nanoplates,and nanocolumns,which show a structure-dependence in their specific charge capacitances.The formation of controllable po...We report a facile way to grow various porous NiO nanostructures including nanoslices,nanoplates,and nanocolumns,which show a structure-dependence in their specific charge capacitances.The formation of controllable porosity is due to the dehydration and re-crystallization of β-Ni(OH)_(2) nanoplates synthesized by a hydrothermal process.Thermogravimetric analysis shows that the decomposition temperature of the β-Ni(OH)_(2) nanostructures is related to their morphology.In electrochemical tests,the porous NiO nanostructures show stable cycling performance with retention of specific capacitance over 1000 cycles.Interestingly,the formation of nanocolumns by the stacking of β-Ni(OH)_(2) nanoslices/plates favors the creation of small pores in the NiO nanocrystals obtained after annealing,and the surface area is over five times larger than that of NiO nanoslices and nanoplates.Consequently,the specific capacitance of the porous NiO nanocolumns(390 F/g)is significantly higher than that of the nanoslices(176 F/g)or nanoplates(285 F/g)at a discharge current of 5 A/g.This approach provides a clear illustration of the process-structure-property relationship in nanocrystal synthesis and potentially offers strategies to enhance the performance of supercapacitor electrodes.展开更多
The thermal conduction of suspended few-layer hexagonal boron nitride （h-BN） sheets was experimentally investigated using a noncontact micro-Raman spectroscopy method. The first-order temperature coefficients for mo...The thermal conduction of suspended few-layer hexagonal boron nitride （h-BN） sheets was experimentally investigated using a noncontact micro-Raman spectroscopy method. The first-order temperature coefficients for monolayer （1L）, bilayer （2L） and nine-layer （9L） h-BN sheets were measured to be -（3.41 ± 0.12）× 10-2, -（3.15 ± 0.14） × 10-2 and -（3.78 ±0.16）× 10-2 cm-1.K-1, respectively. The room-temperature thermal conductivity of few-layer h-BN sheets was found to be in the range from 227 to 280 W.m-1-K-1, which is comparable to that of bulk h-BN, indicating their potential use as important components to solve heat dissipation problems in thermal management configurations.展开更多
The synthesis of a composite of cobalt phosphide nanowires and reduced graphene oxide （denoted CoP/RGO） via a facile hydrothermal method combined with a subsequent annealing step is reported. The resulting composite...The synthesis of a composite of cobalt phosphide nanowires and reduced graphene oxide （denoted CoP/RGO） via a facile hydrothermal method combined with a subsequent annealing step is reported. The resulting composite presents large specific surface area and enhanced conductivity, which can effectively facilitate charge transport and accommodates variations in volume during the lithiation/de-lithiation processes. As a result, the CoP/RGO nanocomposite manifests a high reversible specific capacity of 960 mA·h-g-1 over 200 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A·g-1 （297 mA·h·g-1 over 10,000 cycles at a current density of 20 A.g-1） and excellent rate capability （424 mA·h·g-1 at a current density of 10 A·g-1）.展开更多
Presented are the synthesis,characterizations,and reactive surface modification(RSM)of a novel nine atomic layered V4C3Tx MXene.With the advantages of the multilayered V4C3Tx MXene that can simultaneously support the ...Presented are the synthesis,characterizations,and reactive surface modification(RSM)of a novel nine atomic layered V4C3Tx MXene.With the advantages of the multilayered V4C3Tx MXene that can simultaneously support the RSM reaction and keep the inner skeleton stable,a series of amorphous Ni/Fe/Vternary oxide hydroxides thin layer can be successfully modified on the surface of the V4C3Tx MXene(denoted as MOOH@V4C3Tx,M=Ni,Fe,and V)without disrupting its original structure.Attributed to the in situ reconstruction of highly active oxide hydroxide layer,the nanohybrids exhibited an enhanced oxygen evolution reaction(OER)activity and excellent long-time stability over 70 hours.In particular,a current density of 10 mA cm−2 can be reached by the nanohybrid with the optimized Ni/Fe ratio at an overpotential(η)as low as 275.2 mV,which is comparable to most of the state-of-the-art OER catalysts and better than other MXene-based derivatives.Demonstrated by the tunable physicochemical properties and excellent structural stability of these nanohybrids,we may envision the promising role of the M4X3-based MXenes as substrates for a wide range of energy conversion and storage materials.展开更多
Transition-metal-doped tungsten semicarbide nanosheets(M-doped W_(2)C NSs,M=Fe,Co,and Ni)have been synthesized through carburization of the mixture of tungsten trioxide,polyvinylpyrrolidone,and metal dopant.Te nanoshe...Transition-metal-doped tungsten semicarbide nanosheets(M-doped W_(2)C NSs,M=Fe,Co,and Ni)have been synthesized through carburization of the mixture of tungsten trioxide,polyvinylpyrrolidone,and metal dopant.Te nanosheets grow directly on the W mesh and have the lateral dimension of several hundreds of nm to a few�m with a thickness of few tens nm.It is demonstrated that the M-doped W_(2)C NSs exhibit superior electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).Impressively,the Nidoped W_(2)C NSs(2 at%Ni)with the optimized HER activity show extremely low onset overpotentials of 4,9,and 19 mV and modest Tafel slopes of 39,51,and 87 mV dec−1 in acidic(pH=0),neutral(pH=7.2),and basic(pH=14)solutions,respectively,which is close to the commercial Pt/C catalyst.Density functional theory(DFT)calculations also demonstrate that the Gibbs free energy for H adsorption of Ni-W_(2)C is much closer to the optimal valueG_(H∗)=-0.073 eV as compared to-0.16 eV of W_(2)C.Furthermore,nearly 100%Faradaic efciency and long-term stability are obtained in those environments.Tis realization of highly tolerant metal semicarbide catalyst performing on par with commercial Pt/C in all range of pH ofers a key step towards industrially electrochemical water splitting.展开更多
Lithium ion batteries(LIBs)that can be operated under extended temperature range hold significant application potentials.Here in this work,we successfully synthesized Co2V2O7 electrode with rich porosity from a facile...Lithium ion batteries(LIBs)that can be operated under extended temperature range hold significant application potentials.Here in this work,we successfully synthesized Co2V2O7 electrode with rich porosity from a facile hydrothermal and combustion process.When applied as anode for LIBs,the electrode displayed excellent stability and rate performance in a wide range of temperatures.Remarkably,a stable capacity of 206 mAhg 1 was retained after cycling at a high current density of 10 A·g-1 for 6,000 cycles at room temperature(25℃).And even when tested under extreme conditions,i.e.,-20 and 60℃,the battery still maintained its remarkable stability and rate capability.For example,at-20℃,a capacity of 633 mAh·g 1 was retained after 50 cycles at 0.1 A·g 1;and even after cycling at 60℃ at 10 A·g-1 for 1,000 cycles,a reversible capacity of 885 mAh·g-1 can be achieved.We believe the development of such electrode material will fciliate progress of the next-generation LIBs with wide operating windows.展开更多
Current research on vanadium oxides in lithium ion batteries （LIBs） considers them as cathode materials, whereas they are rarely studied for use as anodes in LIBs because of their low electrical conductivity and rap...Current research on vanadium oxides in lithium ion batteries （LIBs） considers them as cathode materials, whereas they are rarely studied for use as anodes in LIBs because of their low electrical conductivity and rapid capacity fading. In this work, hydrogenated vanadium oxide nanoneedles were prepared and incorporated into freeze-dried graphene foam. The hydrogenated vanadium oxides show greatly improved charge-transfer kinetics, which lead to excellent electrochemical properties. When tested as anode materials （0.005-3.0 V vs. Li/Li＋） in LIBs, the sample activated at 600℃ exhibits high specific capacity （-941 mA-h-g-1 at 100 mA.g-1） and high-rate capability （-504 mA·h·g-1 at 5 A·g-1）, as well as excellent cycling performance （-285 mA.h.g-1 in the 1,000th cycle at 5A-g-1）. These results demonstrate the promising application of vanadium oxides as anodes in LIBs.展开更多
With the excessive consumption of nonrenewable resources,the exploration of effective and durable materials is highly sought after in the field of sustainable energy conversion and storage system.In this aspect,metalo...With the excessive consumption of nonrenewable resources,the exploration of effective and durable materials is highly sought after in the field of sustainable energy conversion and storage system.In this aspect,metalorganic frameworks(MOFs)are a new class of crystalline porous organicinorganic hybrid materials.MOFs have recently been gaining traction in energy-related fields.Owing to the coordination flexibility and multiple accessible oxidation states of vanadium ions or clusters,vanadium-MOFs(V-MOFs)possess unique structural characteristics and satisfactory electrochemical properties.Furthermore,V-MOFs-derived materials also exhibit superior electrical conductivity and stability when used as electrocatalysts and electrode materials.This review summarizes the research progress of V-MOFs(inclusive of pristine V-MOFs,V/M-MOFs,and POVbased MOFs)and their derivatives(vanadium oxides,carbon-coated vanadium oxide,vanadium phosphate,vanadate,and other vanadium doped nanomaterials)in electrochemical energy conversion(water splitting,oxygen reduction reaction)and energy storage(supercapacitor,rechargeable battery).Future possibilities and challenges for V-MOFs and their derivatives in terms of design and synthesis are discussed.Lastly,their applications in energy-related fields are also highlighted.展开更多
High-entropy materials,composed of five or more elements in near-equiatomic percentage,have been attracting tremendous interests due to their advantageous properties in a variety of applications.Recently,electrocataly...High-entropy materials,composed of five or more elements in near-equiatomic percentage,have been attracting tremendous interests due to their advantageous properties in a variety of applications.Recently,electrocatalysis on high-entropy alloys(HEAs)and high-entropy compounds(HECs)has emerged as a new and promising material owing to the tailored composition and the disordered con-figuration of HEAs and HECs.Though extensive efforts have been devoted to investigating the catalytic nature of HEAs and HECs,the details related to the active sites and intrinsic activity of such catalysts still remain uncertain due to the complexity of the multicomponent systems.In this review,the recent progress of HEAs and HECs is systematically reviewed in terms of their synthetic strate-gies and electrocatalytic applications.Importantly,the computationally assisted methods(e.g.,density functional theory[DFT])are also presented to discover and design the optimumHEA-andHEC-based catalysts.Subsequently,the appli-cations of HEAs and HECs in electrocatalytic energy conversion reactions will be discussed,including hydrogen evolution reaction,oxygen evolution reaction,oxygen reduction reaction,carbon dioxide reduction reaction,nitrogen reduction reaction,methanol oxidation reaction,and ethanol oxidation reaction(EOR).Moreover,the prospects and future opportunities for this research field are cau-tiously discussed.A series of upcoming challenges and questions are thoroughly proposed from the experimental and theoretical aspects as well as other future applications in electrocatalysis.展开更多
Ultrathin two-dimensional （2D） porous Zn（OH）2 nanosheets （PNs） were fabricated by means of one-dimensional Cu nanowires as backbones. The PNs have thickness of approximately 3.8 nm and pore size of 4-10 nm. To f...Ultrathin two-dimensional （2D） porous Zn（OH）2 nanosheets （PNs） were fabricated by means of one-dimensional Cu nanowires as backbones. The PNs have thickness of approximately 3.8 nm and pore size of 4-10 nm. To form ＂smart＂ porous nanosheets, DNA aptamers were covalently conjugated to the surface of PNs. These ultrathin nanosheets show good biocompatibility, effident cellular uptaker and promising pH-stimulated drug release.展开更多
CONSPECTUS:Thermoelectric(TE)devices enable direct solid-state energy conversion from heat to electricity and vice versa,thereby showing great potential in warranting the supply of sustainable energy and mitigating th...CONSPECTUS:Thermoelectric(TE)devices enable direct solid-state energy conversion from heat to electricity and vice versa,thereby showing great potential in warranting the supply of sustainable energy and mitigating the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change.Therefore,as a clean-energy-generation technology,TE materials have received tremendous research efforts in both industrial and academic communities for applications in the recovery of ubiquitous low-grade waste heat.Achieving high efficiency in TE materials is an ongoing pursuit of the TE research community,considering approximately 90%of all waste heat in the USA comes from medium-temperature(e.g.,from 573 to 873 K)heat sources.Hence,synergistic enhancements in the figures-of-merit(ZT)are still highly desired and remain a key task for improving commercial applications of TE materials.展开更多
基金Singapore Singapore MOE Tier 2 MOE2017-T2-2-069,MOE AcRF Tier 1 under Grant Nos.RG113/15 and 2016-T1-002-065Singapore EMA Project EIRP 12/NRF2015EWT-EIRP002-008National Research Foundation of Singapore (NRF) Investigatorship Award No.NRF2016NRF-NRFI001-22,National Research Foundation of Singapore (NRF) Investigatorship Award No. NRF2016NRF-NRFI00122
文摘Due to the rapidly increasing demand for energy and environmental sustainability, stable and economical hydrogen production has received increasing attention in the past decades. In this regard, hydrogen production through photo-or electrocatalytic water splitting has continued to gain ever-growing interest. However, the existing catalysts are still unable to fulfill the demands of highefficiency, low-cost, and sustainable hydrogen production.Layered metal trichalcogenidophosphate(MPQ_3) is a newly developed two-dimensional material with tunable composition and electronic structure. Recently, MPQ_3 has been considered a promising candidate for clean energy generation and related water splitting applications. In this minireview, we firstly introduce the structure and methods for the synthesis of MPQ_3 materials. In the following sections, recent developments of MPQ_3 materials for photo-and electrocatalytic water splitting are briefly summarized. The roles of MPQ_3 materials in different reaction systems are also discussed. Finally, the challenges related to and prospects of MPQ_3 materials are presented on the basis of the current developments.
基金the financial support from Singapore MOE AcRF Tier 1 under grant Nos.RG113/15 and 2016T1-002-065Singapore EMA project EIRP 12/NRF2015EWTEIRP002-008
文摘Herein, we report on the synthesis and Li-ion storage properties of the 0D–2D nanohybrid consisted of bimetal phosphorus trisulfides nanoneedles（Co_（0.5）Ni_（0.5）PS_3） and graphene nanosheets（denoted as Co_（0.5）Ni_（0.5）PS_3@G）. By choosing the Co_（0.5）Ni_（0.5）（OH）_2 nanoneedles as precursor, the Co_（0.5）Ni_（0.5）PS_3 derived by a simple solid-state transformation（SST） process was successfully attached onto the graphene surface.The as-prepared nanohybrids showed a superior cycling stability and rate performance for Li-ion storage.After cycling at a current density of 0.5 A g^（-1） for 500 cycles, the capacity are 456 mAh g^（-1）. Particularly,the capacity can reach 302 mAh g^（-1） at a current density of 10 A g^（-1）, which is 66.2% of the capacity at0.5 A g^（-1）. Even cycling at a current density of 50 A g^（-1）, the nanocomposite can still kept a capacity of 153 mAh g^（-1） with a capacity retention of 33.6%.
基金the Agency for Science,Technology and Research(A*STAR),Science and Engineering Research Council,and A*ccelerate Technologies for this work(No.GAP/2019/00314).
文摘This review article delves into the development of electrolytes for flexible zinc-air batteries(FZABs),a critical component driving the advancement of flexible electronics.We started by surveying the current advancements in electrolyte technologies,including solid-state and gel-based types,and their contributions to enhance the flexibility,efficiency,and durability of FZABs.Secondly,we explored the challenges in this domain,focusing on maintaining electrolyte stability under mechanical stress,ensuring compatibility with flexible substrates,optimizing ion conductivity,and under harsh environmental conditions.Furthermore,the key issues regarding interface details between electrolyte and the electrodes are covered as well.We then discussed the future of electrolyte development in FZABs,highlighting potential avenues such as materials development,sustainability,in-situ studies,and battery integration.This review offers an in-depth overview of the advancements,challenges,and potential breakthroughs in creating electrolytes for FZABs over the past five years.It serves as a guide for both researchers and industry professionals in this dynamic area.
文摘Erratum to Nano Research,2024,17(7):6058-6079 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-024-6555-z The name and affiliation of the seventh author,Janet Beng Hoon Tan,were incorrectly labeled.The corrections have been made to the online version of the original article.
基金Science and Engineering Research Council,Grant/Award Number:GAP/2019/00314。
文摘Phase change materials(PCMs)are promising thermal energy storage materials due to their high specific latent heat.Conventional PCMs typically exploit the solid–liquid(s–l)transition.However,leakage and leaching are common issues for solid–liquid PCMs,which have to be addressed before usage in practical applications.In contrast,solid–solid(s–s)PCMs would naturally overcome these issues due to their inherent form stability and homogeneity.In this study,we report a new type of s–s PCM based on chemically linked polyethylene glycol(PEG,the PCM portion)with polylactic acid(PLA,the support portion)in the form of a block co‐polymer.Solid‐solid latent heat of up to 56 J/g could be achieved,with melting points of between 44°C and 55°C.For comparison,PEG was physically mixed into a PLA matrix to form a PEG:PLA composite.However,the composite material saw leakage of up to 9%upon heating,with a corresponding loss in thermal storage capacity.In contrast,the mPEG/PLA block co‐polymers were found to be completely homogeneous and thermally stable even when heated above its phase transition temperature,with no observable leakage,demonstrating the superiority of chemical linking strategies in ensuring form stability.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.22279104,51902261 and 61935017)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2020YFA0709900)the Singapore Ministry of Education AcRF Tier 1:2020-T1-001-031,RG4/20,the 111 project(D18023)from Zhengzhou University.
文摘Li metal has been recognized as the most promising anode materials for next-generation high-energy-density batteries,however,the inherent issues of dendrite growth and huge volume fluctuations upon Li plating/stripping normally result in fast capacity fading and safety concerns.Functionalized Cu current collectors have so far exhibited significant regulatory effects on stabilizing Li metal anodes(LMAs),and hold a great practical potential owing to their easy fabrication,low-cost and good compatibility with the existing battery technology.In this review,a comprehensive overview of Cu-based current collectors,including planar modified Cu foil,3D architectured Cu foil and nanostructured 3D Cu substrates,for Li metal batteries is provided.Particularly,the design principles and strategies of functionalized Cu current collectors associated with their functionalities in optimizing Li plating/stripping behaviors are discussed.Finally,the critical issues where there is incomplete understanding and the future research directions of Cu current collectors in practical LMAs are also prospected.This review may shed light on the critical understanding of current collector engineering for high-energy-density Li metal batteries.
基金supported by National Key R&D Program of China(2021YFC2103800)the Technical Development Project of Sichuan University(No.22H0798)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
文摘The utilization of chelation reaction between metals and tannins is a common tanning method in leather chemistry.Herein,a novel combination tanning mechanism inspired environmentally benign catalyst(CMBT-Fe^(0))was synthesized by immobilizing Fe nanoparticles onto bayberry tannin(BT)grafted chitosan microfibers(CM).The obtained catalyst featured a well-defined microfibrous structure,on which Fe^(0)nanoparticles were highly dispersed to exhibit exceptional catalytic activity for the degradation of tetracycline(TC).The catalytic activity of CMBT-Fe^(0)was 1.72 times higher than that of the commercial Fe^(0)nanoparticles without immobilization,with 95.03%of TC degraded within 90.0 min.The CMBT-Fe^(0)catalysts were recycled 6 times,with the removal rate of TC maintained at 82.56%.Furthermore,a possible mechanism responsible for the catalytic removal of TC was provided by analyzing the catalytic degradation products via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.Therefore,our investigation successfully developed efficient catalysts to address the concerned environmental issue of antibiotic pollution.
文摘Developing sustainable and clean energy-conversion techniques is one of the strategies to simultaneously meet the global energy demand,save fossil fuels and protect the environment,in which nanocatalysts with high activity,selectivity and durability are of great importance.Intermetallic nanocrystals,featuring their ordered atomic arrangements and predictable electronic structures,have been recognized as a type of active and durable catalysts in energy-related applications.In this minireview,the very recent progress in the syntheses and electrocatalytic applications of noble metal-based intermetallic nanocrystals is summarized.Various synthetic strategies,including the conventional thermal annealing approach and its diverse modifications,as well as the wet-chemical synthesis,for the construction of binary,ternary and high-entropy intermetallic nanocrystals have been discussed with representative examples,highlighting their strengths and limitations.Then,their electrocatalytic applications toward oxygen reduction reaction,small molecule oxidation reactions,hydrogen evolution reaction,CO_(2)/CO reduction reactions,and nitrogen reduction reaction are discussed,with the emphasis on how the ordered intermetallic structures contribute to the enhanced performance.We conclude the minireview by addressing the current challenges and opportunities of intermetallic nanocrystals in terms of syntheses and electrocatalytic applications.
文摘Considering the high safety,low-cost and high capacity,aqueous zinc ion batteries have been a potential candidate for energy storage ensuring smooth electricity supply.Herein,we have synthesized inverse opal manganese dioxide constructed by few-layered ultrathin nanosheets by a solution template method at mild temperature.The ultrathin nanosheets with the thickness as small as 1 nm are well separated without obvious aggregation.Used as cathode material for aqueous zinc ion batteries,the few-layered ultrathin nanosheets combined with the inverse opal structure guarantee excellent performance.A high specific discharge capacity of 262.9 mAh·g^-1 is retained for the 100th cycle at a current density of 300 mA·g^-1 with a high capacity retention of 95.6%.A high specific discharge capacity of 121 mAh·g^-1 at a high current density of 2,000 mA·g^-1 is achieved even after 5,000 long-term cycles.The ex-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns,selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) results demonstrate that the discharge/charge processes involve the reversible formation of zinc sulfate hydroxide hydrate on the cathode while in-plane crystal structure of the layered bimessite MnO2 could be maintained.This unique structured MnO2 is a promising candidate as cathode material for high capacity,high rate capability and long-term aqueous zinc-ion batteries.
基金The authors gratefully acknowledge the AcRF Tier 1 RG 31/08 from Ministry of Education Singapore and No.NRF2009EWT-CERP001-026 Singaporethe National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.20901003)+1 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of the Educational Department of Anhui Province(No.KJ2008B167)the Young Teacher Program of Anhui Normal University(No.2009xqnzc19).
文摘We report a facile way to grow various porous NiO nanostructures including nanoslices,nanoplates,and nanocolumns,which show a structure-dependence in their specific charge capacitances.The formation of controllable porosity is due to the dehydration and re-crystallization of β-Ni(OH)_(2) nanoplates synthesized by a hydrothermal process.Thermogravimetric analysis shows that the decomposition temperature of the β-Ni(OH)_(2) nanostructures is related to their morphology.In electrochemical tests,the porous NiO nanostructures show stable cycling performance with retention of specific capacitance over 1000 cycles.Interestingly,the formation of nanocolumns by the stacking of β-Ni(OH)_(2) nanoslices/plates favors the creation of small pores in the NiO nanocrystals obtained after annealing,and the surface area is over five times larger than that of NiO nanoslices and nanoplates.Consequently,the specific capacitance of the porous NiO nanocolumns(390 F/g)is significantly higher than that of the nanoslices(176 F/g)or nanoplates(285 F/g)at a discharge current of 5 A/g.This approach provides a clear illustration of the process-structure-property relationship in nanocrystal synthesis and potentially offers strategies to enhance the performance of supercapacitor electrodes.
文摘The thermal conduction of suspended few-layer hexagonal boron nitride （h-BN） sheets was experimentally investigated using a noncontact micro-Raman spectroscopy method. The first-order temperature coefficients for monolayer （1L）, bilayer （2L） and nine-layer （9L） h-BN sheets were measured to be -（3.41 ± 0.12）× 10-2, -（3.15 ± 0.14） × 10-2 and -（3.78 ±0.16）× 10-2 cm-1.K-1, respectively. The room-temperature thermal conductivity of few-layer h-BN sheets was found to be in the range from 227 to 280 W.m-1-K-1, which is comparable to that of bulk h-BN, indicating their potential use as important components to solve heat dissipation problems in thermal management configurations.
文摘The synthesis of a composite of cobalt phosphide nanowires and reduced graphene oxide （denoted CoP/RGO） via a facile hydrothermal method combined with a subsequent annealing step is reported. The resulting composite presents large specific surface area and enhanced conductivity, which can effectively facilitate charge transport and accommodates variations in volume during the lithiation/de-lithiation processes. As a result, the CoP/RGO nanocomposite manifests a high reversible specific capacity of 960 mA·h-g-1 over 200 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A·g-1 （297 mA·h·g-1 over 10,000 cycles at a current density of 20 A.g-1） and excellent rate capability （424 mA·h·g-1 at a current density of 10 A·g-1）.
基金Initiative Postdocs Supporting Program,Grant/Award Number:BX20190281Ministry of Education of Singapore,Grant/Award Numbers:MOE2017-T2-2-069,MOE2018-T2-1-010+1 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:51901189Opening Project of Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Mold,Grant/Award Number:NERC201903。
文摘Presented are the synthesis,characterizations,and reactive surface modification(RSM)of a novel nine atomic layered V4C3Tx MXene.With the advantages of the multilayered V4C3Tx MXene that can simultaneously support the RSM reaction and keep the inner skeleton stable,a series of amorphous Ni/Fe/Vternary oxide hydroxides thin layer can be successfully modified on the surface of the V4C3Tx MXene(denoted as MOOH@V4C3Tx,M=Ni,Fe,and V)without disrupting its original structure.Attributed to the in situ reconstruction of highly active oxide hydroxide layer,the nanohybrids exhibited an enhanced oxygen evolution reaction(OER)activity and excellent long-time stability over 70 hours.In particular,a current density of 10 mA cm−2 can be reached by the nanohybrid with the optimized Ni/Fe ratio at an overpotential(η)as low as 275.2 mV,which is comparable to most of the state-of-the-art OER catalysts and better than other MXene-based derivatives.Demonstrated by the tunable physicochemical properties and excellent structural stability of these nanohybrids,we may envision the promising role of the M4X3-based MXenes as substrates for a wide range of energy conversion and storage materials.
基金The authors gratefully acknowledge Singapore MOE Tier 2 MOE2017-T2-2-069MOE AcRF Tier 1 under grant Nos.RG113/15 and 2016-T1-002-065+1 种基金Singapore EMA project EIRP 12/NRF2015EWT-EIRP002-008NRF of Singapore(No.NRF2016NRF-NRFI001-22).Hua Zhang would like to thank the support from ITC via Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center and the Start-Up Grant from City University of Hong Kong.Te authors also acknowledge the Facility for Analysis,Characterization,Testing and Simulation(FACTS),Nanyang Technological University,Singapore,for the use of the TEM JEOL 2010 UHR,FESEM JEM-7600F,XPS Kratos AXIS Supra,and XRD Bruker D8 Advance facilities.
文摘Transition-metal-doped tungsten semicarbide nanosheets(M-doped W_(2)C NSs,M=Fe,Co,and Ni)have been synthesized through carburization of the mixture of tungsten trioxide,polyvinylpyrrolidone,and metal dopant.Te nanosheets grow directly on the W mesh and have the lateral dimension of several hundreds of nm to a few�m with a thickness of few tens nm.It is demonstrated that the M-doped W_(2)C NSs exhibit superior electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).Impressively,the Nidoped W_(2)C NSs(2 at%Ni)with the optimized HER activity show extremely low onset overpotentials of 4,9,and 19 mV and modest Tafel slopes of 39,51,and 87 mV dec−1 in acidic(pH=0),neutral(pH=7.2),and basic(pH=14)solutions,respectively,which is close to the commercial Pt/C catalyst.Density functional theory(DFT)calculations also demonstrate that the Gibbs free energy for H adsorption of Ni-W_(2)C is much closer to the optimal valueG_(H∗)=-0.073 eV as compared to-0.16 eV of W_(2)C.Furthermore,nearly 100%Faradaic efciency and long-term stability are obtained in those environments.Tis realization of highly tolerant metal semicarbide catalyst performing on par with commercial Pt/C in all range of pH ofers a key step towards industrially electrochemical water splitting.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.21606003,51802044,51972067,51672193,51420105002,and 51920105004)State Key Laboratory of Vanadium and Titanium Resources Comprehensive Utilization.The authors also acknowledge Singapore MOE AcRF Tier 2 under Grant Nos.2018-T2-1-010 and MOE2017-T2-2-069National Research Foundation of Singapore(NRF)Investigatorship,award Number NRF2016NRFNRFI001-22.
文摘Lithium ion batteries(LIBs)that can be operated under extended temperature range hold significant application potentials.Here in this work,we successfully synthesized Co2V2O7 electrode with rich porosity from a facile hydrothermal and combustion process.When applied as anode for LIBs,the electrode displayed excellent stability and rate performance in a wide range of temperatures.Remarkably,a stable capacity of 206 mAhg 1 was retained after cycling at a high current density of 10 A·g-1 for 6,000 cycles at room temperature(25℃).And even when tested under extreme conditions,i.e.,-20 and 60℃,the battery still maintained its remarkable stability and rate capability.For example,at-20℃,a capacity of 633 mAh·g 1 was retained after 50 cycles at 0.1 A·g 1;and even after cycling at 60℃ at 10 A·g-1 for 1,000 cycles,a reversible capacity of 885 mAh·g-1 can be achieved.We believe the development of such electrode material will fciliate progress of the next-generation LIBs with wide operating windows.
文摘Current research on vanadium oxides in lithium ion batteries （LIBs） considers them as cathode materials, whereas they are rarely studied for use as anodes in LIBs because of their low electrical conductivity and rapid capacity fading. In this work, hydrogenated vanadium oxide nanoneedles were prepared and incorporated into freeze-dried graphene foam. The hydrogenated vanadium oxides show greatly improved charge-transfer kinetics, which lead to excellent electrochemical properties. When tested as anode materials （0.005-3.0 V vs. Li/Li＋） in LIBs, the sample activated at 600℃ exhibits high specific capacity （-941 mA-h-g-1 at 100 mA.g-1） and high-rate capability （-504 mA·h·g-1 at 5 A·g-1）, as well as excellent cycling performance （-285 mA.h.g-1 in the 1,000th cycle at 5A-g-1）. These results demonstrate the promising application of vanadium oxides as anodes in LIBs.
基金National Research Foundation of Singapore(NRF)Investigatorship,Grant/Award Number:NRF2016NRFNRFI001‐22National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Numbers:51972067,22001021,51802044,51902062 and 5180204+3 种基金Guangdong Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholar,Grant/Award Number:2019B151502039Singapore MOE AcRF Tier 1,Grant/Award Number:2020‐T1‐001‐031Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,Grant/Award Number:BK20201048Natural Science Research Project of Higher Education Institutions in Jiangsu Province,Grant/Award Number:20KJB150008。
文摘With the excessive consumption of nonrenewable resources,the exploration of effective and durable materials is highly sought after in the field of sustainable energy conversion and storage system.In this aspect,metalorganic frameworks(MOFs)are a new class of crystalline porous organicinorganic hybrid materials.MOFs have recently been gaining traction in energy-related fields.Owing to the coordination flexibility and multiple accessible oxidation states of vanadium ions or clusters,vanadium-MOFs(V-MOFs)possess unique structural characteristics and satisfactory electrochemical properties.Furthermore,V-MOFs-derived materials also exhibit superior electrical conductivity and stability when used as electrocatalysts and electrode materials.This review summarizes the research progress of V-MOFs(inclusive of pristine V-MOFs,V/M-MOFs,and POVbased MOFs)and their derivatives(vanadium oxides,carbon-coated vanadium oxide,vanadium phosphate,vanadate,and other vanadium doped nanomaterials)in electrochemical energy conversion(water splitting,oxygen reduction reaction)and energy storage(supercapacitor,rechargeable battery).Future possibilities and challenges for V-MOFs and their derivatives in terms of design and synthesis are discussed.Lastly,their applications in energy-related fields are also highlighted.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:51802252Singapore Ministry of Education(MOE)Academic Research Fund,Grant/Award Number:2020-T1-001-031+4 种基金National Research Foundation of Singapore,Grant/Award Number:NRF2016NRF-NRFI001-22Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province,Grant/Award Num-bers:2021JQ-015,2020JM-032Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,Grant/Award Number:BK20200242Higher Education Discipline Innovation Project of China,Grant/Award Numbers:BP200618008,D18023Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:2021M692546。
文摘High-entropy materials,composed of five or more elements in near-equiatomic percentage,have been attracting tremendous interests due to their advantageous properties in a variety of applications.Recently,electrocatalysis on high-entropy alloys(HEAs)and high-entropy compounds(HECs)has emerged as a new and promising material owing to the tailored composition and the disordered con-figuration of HEAs and HECs.Though extensive efforts have been devoted to investigating the catalytic nature of HEAs and HECs,the details related to the active sites and intrinsic activity of such catalysts still remain uncertain due to the complexity of the multicomponent systems.In this review,the recent progress of HEAs and HECs is systematically reviewed in terms of their synthetic strate-gies and electrocatalytic applications.Importantly,the computationally assisted methods(e.g.,density functional theory[DFT])are also presented to discover and design the optimumHEA-andHEC-based catalysts.Subsequently,the appli-cations of HEAs and HECs in electrocatalytic energy conversion reactions will be discussed,including hydrogen evolution reaction,oxygen evolution reaction,oxygen reduction reaction,carbon dioxide reduction reaction,nitrogen reduction reaction,methanol oxidation reaction,and ethanol oxidation reaction(EOR).Moreover,the prospects and future opportunities for this research field are cau-tiously discussed.A series of upcoming challenges and questions are thoroughly proposed from the experimental and theoretical aspects as well as other future applications in electrocatalysis.
基金The authors are grateful to Dr. Kathryn Williams for her critical comments during the preparation of this manuscript. This work is supported by grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health （No. GM079359 and CA133086）. This work is also supported by the National Basic Research Program of China （No. 2011CB911000）, National Natural Science Foundation of China （Nos. 21221003 and 21327009） and China National Instrumentation Program （No. 2011YQ03012412）.
文摘Ultrathin two-dimensional （2D） porous Zn（OH）2 nanosheets （PNs） were fabricated by means of one-dimensional Cu nanowires as backbones. The PNs have thickness of approximately 3.8 nm and pore size of 4-10 nm. To form ＂smart＂ porous nanosheets, DNA aptamers were covalently conjugated to the surface of PNs. These ultrathin nanosheets show good biocompatibility, effident cellular uptaker and promising pH-stimulated drug release.
基金The authors acknowledge support from Singapore MOE Tier 2 under Grant No.MOE2018-T2-1-010,Singapore A*STAR Pharos Program SERC 1527200022,A*STAR Career Development Award KIMR210401cSERCDA,and Singapore A*STAR project A19D9a0096Thermoelectric materials research at Northwestern University is supported by the U.S.Department of Energy,Office of Science and Office of Basic Energy Sciences under award number DE-SC0014520.
文摘CONSPECTUS:Thermoelectric(TE)devices enable direct solid-state energy conversion from heat to electricity and vice versa,thereby showing great potential in warranting the supply of sustainable energy and mitigating the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change.Therefore,as a clean-energy-generation technology,TE materials have received tremendous research efforts in both industrial and academic communities for applications in the recovery of ubiquitous low-grade waste heat.Achieving high efficiency in TE materials is an ongoing pursuit of the TE research community,considering approximately 90%of all waste heat in the USA comes from medium-temperature(e.g.,from 573 to 873 K)heat sources.Hence,synergistic enhancements in the figures-of-merit(ZT)are still highly desired and remain a key task for improving commercial applications of TE materials.
