Highly Efficient Aligned Ion‑Conducting Network and Interface Chemistries for Depolarized All‑Solid‑State Lithium Metal Batteries

Improving the long-term cycling stability and energy density of all-solid-state lithium(Li)-metal batteries(ASSLMBs)at room temperature is a severe challenge because of the notorious solid–solid interfacial contact loss and sluggish ion transport.Solid electrolytes are generally studied as two-dimensional(2D)structures with planar interfaces,showing limited interfacial contact and further resulting in unstable Li/electrolyte and cathode/electrolyte interfaces.Herein,three-dimensional(3D)architecturally designed composite solid electrolytes are developed with independently controlled structural factors using 3D printing processing and post-curing treatment.Multiple-type electrolyte films with vertical-aligned micro-pillar(p-3DSE)and spiral(s-3DSE)structures are rationally designed and developed,which can be employed for both Li metal anode and cathode in terms of accelerating the Li+transport within electrodes and reinforcing the interfacial adhesion.The printed p-3DSE delivers robust long-term cycle life of up to 2600 cycles and a high critical current density of 1.92 mA cm^(−2).The optimized electrolyte structure could lead to ASSLMBs with a superior full-cell areal capacity of 2.75 mAh cm^(−2)(LFP)and 3.92 mAh cm^(−2)(NCM811).This unique design provides enhancements for both anode and cathode electrodes,thereby alleviating interfacial degradation induced by dendrite growth and contact loss.The approach in this study opens a new design strategy for advanced composite solid polymer electrolytes in ASSLMBs operating under high rates/capacities and room temperature.

Automated multi-scale classification of the terrain units of the Jiaxie Guyots and their mineral resource characteristics

Given the advances in satellite altimetry and multibeam bathymetry,benthic terrain classification based on digital bathymetric models(DBMs)has been widely used for the mapping of benthic topographies.For instance,cobaltrich crusts(CRCs)are important mineral resources found on seamounts and guyots in the western Pacific Ocean.Thick,plate-like CRCs are known to form on the summit and slopes of seamounts at the 1000–3000 m depth,while the relationship between seamount topography and spatial distribution of CRCs remains unclear.The benthic terrain classification of seamounts can solve this problem,thereby,facilitating the rapid exploration of seamount CRCs.Our study used an EM122 multibeam echosounder to retrieve high-resolution bathymetry data in the CRCs contract license area of China,i.e.,the Jiaxie Guyots in 2015 and 2016.Based on the DBM construted by bathymetirc data,broad-and fine-scale bathymetric position indices were utilized for quantitative classification of the terrain units of the Jiaxie Guyots on multiple scales.The classification revealed four first-order terrain units(e.g.,flat,crest,slope,and depression)and eleven second-order terrain units(e.g.,local crests,depressions on crests,gentle slopes,crests on slopes,and local depressions,etc.).Furthermore,the classification of the terrain and geological analysis indicated that the Weijia Guyot has a large flat summit,with local crests at the southern summit,whereas most of the guyot flanks were covered by gentle slopes.“Radial”mountain ridges have developed on the eastern side,while large-scale gravitational landslides have developed on the western and southern flanks.Additionally,landslide masses can be observed at the bottom of these slopes.The coverage of local crests on the seamount is∼1000 km^(2),and the local crests on the peak and flanks of the guyots may be the areas where thick and continuous plate-like CRCs are likely to occur.

Application and evaluation of layering shear method in LADCP data processing

The current velocity observation of LADCP(Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler)has the advantages of a large vertical range of observation and high operability compared with traditional current measurement methods,and is being widely used in the field of ocean observation.Shear and inverse methods are now commonly used by the international marine community to process LADCP data and calculate ocean current profiles.The two methods have their advantages and shortcomings.The shear method calculates the value of current shear more accurately,while the accuracy in an absolute value of the current is lower.The inverse method calculates the absolute value of the current velocity more accurately,but the current shear is less accurate.Based on the shear method,this paper proposes a layering shear method to calculate the current velocity profile by“layering averaging”,and proposes corresponding current calculation methods according to the different types of problems in several field observation data from the western Pacific,forming an independent LADCP data processing system.The comparison results have shown that the layering shear method can achieve the same effect as the inverse method in the calculation of the absolute value of current velocity,while retaining the advantages of the shear method in the calculation of a value of the current shear.

Percutaneous Penetration and Dermal Exposure Risk Assessment of UV Absorbents in Sunscreens and Isolation Cosmetics

Ultraviolet absorbents(UVs)make up a group of industrial chemicals that is used in various consumer products and industrial applications.Due to their extensive production and usage,UVs have been detected in multiple environmental matrixes.Recently,UVs have garnered significant attention because of their probable adverse impacts on human health and the environment.This study examines UVs levels in sunscreens and isolation cosmetics and further assesses human exposure to UVs through the application of cosmetics.The total concentrations of nine UVs in 87 sunscreen and isolation cosmetic products ranged from 75.5 to 4.25×10^(4) ng/g.Among them,2-(2-hydroxy-5-methyl-phenyl)benzotriazole(UV-P)and 2-hydroxy-4-(octoxy)benzophenone(UV-531)had the highest concentrations.Use of the EpiSkin model indicated rapid absorption and strong dermal penetration by UV-328 following 36 h of exposure with a cumulative absorption rate of 41.8%±2.82%.Other congeners are expected to be distributed in the dermal tissue and donor fluid.Furthermore,this study explored potential mechanisms implicating skin biochemical barriers in the metabolism and transport of UVs.The potential of UVs to act as substrates and inhibitors of P450 enzymes was assessed,and their metabolites were predicted.Molecular docking simulations demonstrated that UVs can significantly interact and bind with three transport proteins in skin:MDR1,OATP2B1,and OATP3A1.Daily UVs exposure through the skin was assessed,revealing that dermal absorption levels of UV-P in sunscreen sprays(4.66×10^(3) ng/(kg bw day))and sunscreens(6.01×10^(3) ng/(kg bw day))were close to or exceeded the reference dose(RfD)and therefore require more attention.

An altered CD8^(+) T cell epitope of insulin prevents type 1 diabetes in humanized NOD mice

Autoreactive CD8^(+)T cells,which play an indispensable role inβcell destruction,represent an emerging target for the prevention of type 1 diabetes(T1D).Altered peptide ligands(APLs)can efficiently induce antigen-specific T cells anergy,apoptosis or shifts in the immune response.Here,we found that HLA-A*0201-restricted CD8^(+)T cell responses against a primaryβ-cell autoantigen insulin epitope InsB15–14 were present in both NOD.β2m null.HHD NOD mice and T1D patients.We generated several APL candidates for InsB15–14 by residue substitution at the p6 position.Only H6F exhibited an inhibitory effect on mInsB1_(5–14)-specific CD8^(+)T cell responses in vitro.H6F treatment significantly reduced the T1D incidence,which was accompanied by diminished autoreactive CD8^(+)T cell responses to mInsB15-14,inhibited infiltration of CD8^(+)and CD4^(+)T cells in the pancreas and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine production in pancreatic and splenic T cells in NOD.β2m^(null).HHD mice.Mechanistically,H6F treatment significantly augmented a tiny portion of CD8^(+)CD25^(+)Foxp3^(+)T cells in the spleen and especially in the pancreas.This subset exhibited typical Treg phenotypes and required peptide-specific restimulation to exert immunosuppressive activity.Therefore,this APL H6F may be a promising candidate with potential clinical application value for antigen-specific prevention of T1D.

Facile ultrafine copper seed-mediated approach for fabricating quasi-two-dimensional palladium-copper bimetallic trigonal hierarchical nanoframes

Anisotropic Pd nanoparticles with highly branched morphologies are urgently needed as building blocks for nanoscale devices, catalysts, and sensing materials owing to their novel structures and unique physicochemical properties. However, realizing size control and branch manipulation for these materials is very challenging. In this study, we develop a facile ultrafine Cu seed-mediated approach in the aqueous phase to produce novel Pd-Cu trigonal hierarchical nanoframes （THNFs）. The main branch of most of the obtained nanocrystals is tripod-like, with advanced branches along the arms as frame units having self-similarity. In this method, the size of the Pd-Cu THNFs can be flexibly controlled by manipulating the nucleation involving the sub-3 nm Cu seeds. These Pd-Cu THNFs outperform Pd black with regard to their ethanol-oxidation performance, having a specific activity and mass activity 9.7 and 6.6 times higher, respectively. This research provides a versatile ultrafine seed-mediated approach for producing size-controlled anisotropic bimetallic nanoframes.

Controlled Synthesis of Porous Carbon Nanostructures with Tunable Closed Mesopores via a Silica-Assisted Coassembly Strategy

Controllable fabrication of mesoporous carbon nanoparticles(MCNs)with tunable pore structures is of great interest,due to the remarkable effect of pore structure on electrochemical performance of the materials.However,it has remained a major challenge.Here,we demonstrate the controlled synthesis of MCNs with tunable closed pore structures via a silica-assisted coassembly strategy,which employs polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide)diblock copolymers as soft template,phenolic resol and tetraethyl orthosilicate as carbon and silica precursors,respectively.Through simply varying the sequential cross-linking of the silica and carbon precursors or the copolymer composition,novel MCNs with alluring spherical,hollow-hoop-structured,or yolk-shell-like closed mesopores are tunably prepared.In particular,serving as cathode materials of lithium-sulfur batteries,the resultant silica-hybridized MCNs with the exceptional hollow-hoop mesopores and a moderate sulfur-loading content of 46 wt%exhibit top-level electrochemical performance.This study opens an avenue for tunable construction of mesoporous particles with closed pores and provides clues for the effect of pore geometry on the electrochemical performance of porous cathode materials for lithium-sulfur batteries.