Angeloski, A, Flower‐Donaldson, K, Matar, F, Hayes, DC, Duman, MN, Oldfield, DT, Westerhausen, MT & McDonagh, AM 2024, 'Gold Microstructures by Thermolysis of Gold(III) Di‐isopropyldithiocarbamate Complexes', ChemNanoMat, vol. 10, no. 3.
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AbstractElemental gold was formed by thermolysis of gold(III) dithiocarbamate single‐source precursors, which exist as two complexes. The complexes were readily synthesised from the reaction between chloroauric acid and sodium di‐isopropyldithiocarbamate and could be isolated from each other. The thermal decomposition processes were evaluated using thermogravimetry and electrical resistance measurements. The structure and purity of the resultant gold was examined using scanning electron microscopy. The resultant gold materials were drastically different and dependent on the thermolysed complex.
Chen, J, Zhang, G, Xiao, J, Li, J, Xiao, Y, Zhang, D, Gao, H, Guo, X, Wang, G & Liu, H 2024, 'A Stress Self‐Adaptive Bimetallic Stellar Nanosphere for High‐Energy Sodium‐Ion Batteries', Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 34, no. 1.
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AbstractBimetallic composites exhibit great potential as anode materials in advanced energy storage systems owing to their inherent tunability, cost‐effectiveness, and simultaneous achievement of high specific capacity and low reaction potential. However, simple biphase mixing often fails to achieve satisfactory performance. Herein, an innovative stress self‐adaptive bimetallic stellar nanosphere (50–200 nm) wherein bismuth (Bi) is fabricated, as a core, is seamlessly encapsulated by a tin (Sn) sneath (Sn‐Bi@C). This well‐integrated stellar configuration with bimetallic nature embodies the synergy between Bi and Sn, offering fortified conductivity and heightened sodium ion diffusion kinetics. Moreover, through meticulous utilization of finite element analysis simulations, a homogeneous stress distribution within the Sn‐enveloped Bi, efficiently mitigating the structural strain raised from the insertion of Na+ ions, is uncovered. The corresponding electrode demonstrates remarkable cyclic stability, as it exhibits no capacity decay after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g−1. Furthermore, it achieves an impressive 86.9% capacity retention even after an extensive 2000 cycles. When employed in a Na3V2(PO4)3 ‖ Sn‐Bi@C full cell configuration, it demonstrates exceptional capacity retention of 97.06% after 300 cycles at 1 A g−1, along with a high energy density of 251.2 W h kg−1.
Hou, S, Gao, X, Lv, X, Zhao, Y, Yin, X, Liu, Y, Fang, J, Yu, X, Ma, X, Ma, T & Su, D 2024, 'Decade Milestone Advancement of Defect-Engineered g-C3N4 for Solar Catalytic Applications', Nano-Micro Letters, vol. 16, no. 1.
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AbstractOver the past decade, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has emerged as a universal photocatalyst toward various sustainable carbo-neutral technologies. Despite solar applications discrepancy, g-C3N4 is still confronted with a general fatal issue of insufficient supply of thermodynamically active photocarriers due to its inferior solar harvesting ability and sluggish charge transfer dynamics. Fortunately, this could be significantly alleviated by the “all-in-one” defect engineering strategy, which enables a simultaneous amelioration of both textural uniqueness and intrinsic electronic band structures. To this end, we have summarized an unprecedently comprehensive discussion on defect controls including the vacancy/non-metallic dopant creation with optimized electronic band structure and electronic density, metallic doping with ultra-active coordinated environment (M–Nx, M–C2N2, M–O bonding), functional group grafting with optimized band structure, and promoted crystallinity with extended conjugation π system with weakened interlayered van der Waals interaction. Among them, the defect states induced by various defect types such as N vacancy, P/S/halogen dopants, and cyano group in boosting solar harvesting and accelerating photocarrier transfer have also been emphasized. More importantly, the shallow defect traps identified by femtosecond transient absorption spectra (fs-TAS) have also been highlighted. It is believed that this review would pave the way for future readers with a unique insight into a more precise defective g-C3N4 “customization”, motivating more profound thinking and flourishing research outputs on g-C3N4-based photoca...
Huang, Z, Farahmandjou, M, Marlton, F, Guo, X, Gao, H, Sun, B & Wang, G 2024, 'Surface and structure engineering of MXenes for rechargeable batteries beyond lithium', Journal of Materiomics, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 253-268.
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Iacopi, F & Ferrari, AC 2024, 'Tailoring graphene for electronics beyond silicon', Nature, vol. 625, no. 7993, pp. 34-35.
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Li, J, Gao, L, Pan, F, Gong, C, Sun, L, Gao, H, Zhang, J, Zhao, Y, Wang, G & Liu, H 2024, 'Engineering Strategies for Suppressing the Shuttle Effect in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries', Nano-Micro Letters, vol. 16, no. 1.
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AbstractLithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are supposed to be one of the most potential next-generation batteries owing to their high theoretical capacity and low cost. Nevertheless, the shuttle effect of firm multi-step two-electron reaction between sulfur and lithium in liquid electrolyte makes the capacity much smaller than the theoretical value. Many methods were proposed for inhibiting the shuttle effect of polysulfide, improving corresponding redox kinetics and enhancing the integral performance of Li–S batteries. Here, we will comprehensively and systematically summarize the strategies for inhibiting the shuttle effect from all components of Li–S batteries. First, the electrochemical principles/mechanism and origin of the shuttle effect are described in detail. Moreover, the efficient strategies, including boosting the sulfur conversion rate of sulfur, confining sulfur or lithium polysulfides (LPS) within cathode host, confining LPS in the shield layer, and preventing LPS from contacting the anode, will be discussed to suppress the shuttle effect. Then, recent advances in inhibition of shuttle effect in cathode, electrolyte, separator, and anode with the aforementioned strategies have been summarized to direct the further design of efficient materials for Li–S batteries. Finally, we present prospects for inhibition of the LPS shuttle and potential development directions in Li–S batteries.
Li, M, Yang, Y, Zhang, Y & Iacopi, F 2024, '3-D Printed Vertically Integrated Composite Right/Left-Handed Transmission Line and Its Applications to Microwave Circuits', IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, pp. 1-11.
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Liu, Z, Sun, B, Zhang, Y, Zhang, Q & Fan, L 2024, 'Polymer-adjusted zinc anode towards high-performance aqueous zinc ion batteries', Progress in Polymer Science, vol. 152, pp. 101817-101817.
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Mahmood, A, Zheng, Z & Chen, Y 2024, 'Zinc–Bromine Batteries: Challenges, Prospective Solutions, and Future', Advanced Science, vol. 11, no. 3, p. e2305561.
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AbstractZinc‐bromine batteries (ZBBs) have recently gained significant attention as inexpensive and safer alternatives to potentially flammable lithium‐ion batteries. Zn metal is relatively stable in aqueous electrolytes, making ZBBs safer and easier to handle. However, Zn metal anodes are still affected by several issues, including dendrite growth, Zn dissolution, and the crossover of Br species from cathodes to corrode anodes, resulting in self‐discharge and fast performance fading. Similarly, Br2 undergoes sluggish redox reactions on cathodes, which brings several issues such as poor reaction kinetics, the highly corrosive nature of Br species leading to corrosion of separators and poisoning of anodes, and the volatile nature of Br species causing increased internal pressures, etc. These issues are compounded in flowless ZBB configuration as no fresh electrolyte is available to provide extra/fresh reaction species. In this review, the factors controlling the performance of ZBBs in flow and flowless configurations are thoroughly reviewed, along with the status of ZBBs in the commercial sector. The review also summarizes various novel methodologies to mitigate these challenges and presents research areas for future studies. In summary, this review will offer a perspective on the historical evolution, recent advancements, and prospects of ZBBs.
Naeem, U, Zahra, SA, Ali, I, Li, H, Mahmood, A & Rizwan, S 2024, 'Unleashing the potential of NiO@V2CTx MXene-derived electrocatalyst for hydrogen and oxygen evolution', International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, vol. 59, pp. 635-644.
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Navidpour, AH, Hosseinzadeh, A, Huang, Z, Li, D & Zhou, JL 2024, 'Application of machine learning algorithms in predicting the photocatalytic degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid', Catalysis Reviews, vol. 66, no. 2, pp. 687-712.
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Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is used in a variety of industries and is highly persistent in the environment, with potential human health risks. Photocatalysis has been extensively used for the decomposition of various organic pollutants, yet its simulation and modeling are challenging. This research aimed to establish different machine learning (ML) algorithms which can simulate and predict the photocatalytic degradation of PFOA. The published results were used to estimate and predict the photocatalytic degradation of PFOA. Statistical criteria including the coefficient of determination (R2), mean absolute error (MAE), and mean squared error (MSE) were considered in assessing the best method of modeling. Among the seven ML algorithms pre-screened, Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), and Random Forest (RF) showed the best performance and were chosen for deep modeling and analysis. Grid search was used to optimize the models developed by AdaBoost, GBM, and RF; and permutation variable importance (PVI) was used to analyze the relative importance of different variables. Based on the modeling results, GBM model (R2 = 0.878, MSE = 106.660, MAE = 6.009) and RF model (R2 = 0.867, MSE = 107.500, MAE = 6.796) showed superior performances compared with AdaBoost model (R2 = 0.574, MSE = 388.369, MAE = 16.480). Furthermore, the PVI results suggested that the GBM model provided the best outcome, with the light irradiation time, type of catalyst, dosage of catalyst, solution pH, irradiation intensity, initial PFOA concentration, oxidizing agents (peroxymonosulfate, ammonium persulfate, and sodium persulfate), irradiation wavelength, and solution temperature as the most important process variables in decreasing order.
Siddique, MAB, Imran, M, Haider, A, Shahzadi, A, Ul-Hamid, A, Nabgan, W, Batool, M, Khan, K, Ikram, M, Somaily, HH & Mahmood, A 2024, 'Enhancing catalytic and antibacterial activity with size-controlled yttrium and graphene quantum dots doped MgO nanostructures: A molecular docking analysis', Materials Today Sustainability, vol. 25, pp. 100690-100690.
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Wang, Y, Yang, X, Meng, Y, Wen, Z, Han, R, Hu, X, Sun, B, Kang, F, Li, B, Zhou, D, Wang, C & Wang, G 2024, 'Fluorine Chemistry in Rechargeable Batteries: Challenges, Progress, and Perspectives', Chemical Reviews, vol. 124, no. 6, pp. 3494-3589.
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Xu, J, Li, H, Jin, Y, Zhou, D, Sun, B, Armand, M & Wang, G 2024, 'Understanding the Electrical Mechanisms in Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries: From Electrostatic Interactions to Electric Field Regulation', Advanced Materials, vol. 36, no. 3, p. e2309726.
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AbstractAqueous Zn metal batteries are considered as competitive candidates for next‐generation energy storage systems due to their excellent safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, the inevitable dendrite growth, severe hydrogen evolution, surface passivation, and sluggish reaction kinetics of Zn metal anodes hinder the practical application of Zn metal batteries. Detailed summaries and prospects have been reported focusing on the research progress and challenges of Zn metal anodes, including electrolyte engineering, electrode structure design, and surface modification. However, the essential electrical mechanisms that significantly influence Zn2+ ions migration and deposition behaviors have not been reviewed yet. Herein, in this review, the regulation mechanisms of electrical‐related electrostatic repulsive/attractive interactions on Zn2+ ions migration, desolvation, and deposition behaviors are systematically discussed. Meanwhile, electric field regulation strategies to promote the Zn2+ ions diffusion and uniform Zn deposition are comprehensively reviewed, including enhancing and homogenizing electric field intensity inside the batteries and adding external magnetic/pressure/thermal field to couple with the electric field. Finally, future perspectives on the research directions of the electrical‐related strategies for building better Zn metal batteries in practical applications are offered.
Xu, J, Qiu, Y, Yang, J, Li, H, Han, P, Jin, Y, Liu, H, Sun, B & Wang, G 2024, 'Review of Separator Modification Strategies: Targeting Undesired Anion Transport in Room Temperature Sodium–Sulfur/Selenium/Iodine Batteries', Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 34, no. 2.
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AbstractRechargeable sodium–sulfur/selenium/iodine (Na–S/Se/I2) batteries are regarded as promising candidates for large‐scale energy storage systems, with the advantages of high energy density, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, the electrochemical performances of Na–S/Se/I2 batteries are still restricted by several inherent issues, including the “shuttle effect” of polysulfides/polyselenides/polyiodides (PSs/PSes/PIs), sluggish kinetics of the conversion reactions at the cathodes, and Na dendrite growth at the anodes. Among these challenges, uncontrolled “shuttle effect” of PSs/PSes/PIs is a major contributing factor for the irreversible loss of active cathode materials and severe side reactions on Na metal anodes, leading to rapid failure of the batteries. Separator modification has been demonstrated to be an effective strategy to suppress the shuttling of PSs/PSes/PIs. Herein, the latest achievement in modifying separators for high‐performance Na–S/Se/I2 batteries is comprehensively reviewed. The reaction mechanisms of each battery system are first discussed. Then, strategies of separator modification based on the different functions for regulating the transportation of PSs/PSes/PIs are summarized, including applying electrostatic repulsive interaction, introducing conductive layers, improving sieving effects, enhancing chemisorption capability, and adding efficient electrocatalysts. Finally, future perspectives on the practical application of modified separators in high‐energy rechargeable batteries are provided.
Xu, J, Yang, J, Qiu, Y, Jin, Y, Wang, T, Sun, B & Wang, G 2024, 'Achieving high-performance sodium metal anodes: From structural design to reaction kinetic improvement', Nano Research, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 1288-1312.
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AbstractSodium metal is one of the ideal anodes for high-performance rechargeable batteries because of its high specific capacity (~ 1166 mAh·g−1), low reduction potential (−2.71 V compared to standard hydrogen electrodes), and low cost. However, the unstable solid electrolyte interphase, uncontrolled dendrite growth, and inevitable volume expansion hinder the practical application of sodium metal anodes. At present, many strategies have been developed to achieve stable sodium metal anodes. Here, we systematically summarize the latest strategies adopted in interface engineering, current collector design, and the emerging methods to improve the reaction kinetics of sodium deposition processes. First, the strategies of constructing protective layers are reviewed, including inorganic, organic, and mixed protective layers through electrolyte additives or pretreatments. Then, the classification of metal-based, carbon-based, and composite porous frames is discussed, including their function in reducing local deposition current density and the effect of introducing sodiophilic sites. Third, the recent progress of alloys, nanoparticles, and single atoms in improving Na deposition kinetics is systematically reviewed. Finally, the future research direction and the prospect of high-performance sodium metal batteries are proposed.
Zhang, L, Jiang, M, Tian, H, Liu, S, Zhou, X, Liu, H, Gan, S, Che, S, Chen, Z, Li, Y, Wang, T, Wang, G & Wang, C 2024, 'Oxygen and Nitrogen Vacancies in a BiOBr/g-C3N4 Heterojunction for Sustainable Solar Ammonia Fertilizer Synthesis', ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 2028-2040.
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Zhao, S, Li, G, Zhang, B, Li, T, Luo, M, Sun, B, Wang, G & Guo, S 2024, 'Technological roadmap for potassium-ion hybrid capacitors', Joule.
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Zhou, X, zhang, L, Liu, H, Yang, Q, Zhu, S, Wu, H, Ohno, T, Zhang, Y, Wang, T, Su, D & Wang, C 2024, 'The powerful combination of 2D/2D Ni-MOF/carbon nitride for deep desulfurization of thiophene in fuel: Conversion route, DFT calculation, mechanism', Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, vol. 658, pp. 627-638.
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