Innovative Solutions for High-Performance Silicon Anodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries:Overcoming Challenges and Real-World Applications

Silicon(Si)has emerged as a potent anode material for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs),but faces challenges like low electrical conductivity and significant volume changes during lithiation/delithiation,leading to material pulverization and capacity degradation.Recent research on nanostructured Si aims to mitigate volume expansion and enhance electrochemical performance,yet still grapples with issues like pulverization,unstable solid electrolyte interface(SEI)growth,and interparticle resistance.This review delves into innovative strategies for optimizing Si anodes’electrochemical performance via structural engineering,focusing on the synthesis of Si/C composites,engineering multidimensional nanostructures,and applying non-carbonaceous coatings.Forming a stable SEI is vital to prevent electrolyte decomposition and enhance Li^(+)transport,thereby stabilizing the Si anode interface and boosting cycling Coulombic efficiency.We also examine groundbreaking advancements such as self-healing polymers and advanced prelithiation methods to improve initial Coulombic efficiency and combat capacity loss.Our review uniquely provides a detailed examination of these strategies in real-world applications,moving beyond theoretical discussions.It offers a critical analysis of these approaches in terms of performance enhancement,scalability,and commercial feasibility.In conclusion,this review presents a comprehensive view and a forward-looking perspective on designing robust,high-performance Si-based anodes the next generation of LIBs.

Mining elite loci and candidate genes for root morphology-related traits at the seedling stage by genome-wide association studies in upland cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Root system architecture plays an essential role in water and nutrient acquisition in plants,and it is significantly involved in plant adaptations to various environmental stresses.In this study,a panel of 242 cotton accessions was collected to investigate six root morphological traits at the seedling stage,including main root length(MRL),root fresh weight(RFW),total root length(TRL),root surface area(RSA),root volume(RV),and root average diameter(AvgD).The correlation analysis of the six root morphological traits revealed strong positive correlations of TRL with RSA,as well as RV with RSA and AvgD,whereas a significant negative correlation was found between TRL and AvgD.Subsequently,a genome-wide association study(GWAS)was performed using the root phenotypic and genotypic data reported previously for the 242 accessions using 56,010 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)from the CottonSNP80K array.A total of 41 quantitative trait loci(QTLs)were identified,including nine for MRL,six for RFW,nine for TRL,12 for RSA,12 for RV and two for AvgD.Among them,eight QTLs were repeatedly detected in two or more traits.Integrating these results with a transcriptome analysis,we identified 17 candidate genes with high transcript values of transcripts per million(TPM)≥30 in the roots.Furthermore,we functionally verified the candidate gene GH_D05G2106,which encodes a WPP domain protein 2in root development.A virus-induced gene silencing(VIGS)assay showed that knocking down GH_D05G2106significantly inhibited root development in cotton,indicating its positive role in root system architecture formation.Collectively,these results provide a theoretical basis and candidate genes for future studies on cotton root developmental biology and root-related cotton breeding.

Engineering hydrophobic protective layers on zinc anodes for enhanced performance in aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries possess substantial potential for energy storage applications;however,they are hampered by challenges such as dendrite formation and uncontrolled side reactions occurring at the zinc anode.In our investigation,we sought to mitigate these issues through the utilization of in situ zinc complex formation reactions to engineer hydrophobic protective layers on the zinc anode surface.These robust interfacial layers serve as effective barriers,isolating the zinc anode from the electrolyte and active water molecules and thereby preventing hydrogen evolution and the generation of undesirable byproducts.Additionally,the presence of numerous zincophilic sites within these protective layers facilitates uniform zinc deposition while concurrently inhibiting dendrite growth.Through comprehensive evaluation of functional anodes featuring diverse functional groups and alkyl chain lengths,we meticulously scrutinized the underlying mechanisms influencing performance variations.This analysis involved precise modulation of interfacial hydrophobicity,rapid Zn^(2+)ion transport,and ordered deposition of Zn^(2+)ions.Notably,the optimized anode,fabricated with octadecylphosphate(OPA),demonstrated exceptional performance characteristics.The Zn//Zn symmetric cell exhibited remarkable longevity,exceeding 4000 h under a current density of 2 mA cm^(-2)and a capacity density of 2 mA h cm^(-2),Furthermore,when integrated with a VOH cathode,the complete cell exhibited superior capacity retention compared to anodes modified with alternative organic molecules.

Suppressing a mitochondrial calcium uniporter activates the calcium signaling pathway and promotes cell elongation in cotton

Mitochondrial calcium uniporter(MCU)is a conserved calcium ion(Ca^(2+))transporter in the mitochondrial inner membrane of eukaryotic cells.How MCU proteins regulate Ca^(2+)flow and modulate plant cell development remain largely unclear.Here,we identified the gene GhMCU4 encoding a MCU protein that negatively regulates plant development and fiber elongation in cotton(Gossypium hirsutum).GhMCU4expressed constitutively in various tissues with the higher transcripts in elongating fiber cells.Knockdown of GhMCU4 in cotton significantly elevated the plant height and root length.The calcium signaling pathway was significantly activated and calcium sensor genes,including Ca^(2+)dependent modulator of interactor of constitutively active ROP(GhCMI1),calmodulin like protein(GhCML46),calciumdependent protein kinases(GhCPKs),calcineurin B-like protein(GhCBLs),and CBL-interacting protein kinases(GhCIPKs),were dramatically upregulated in GhMCU4-silenced plants.Metabolic processes were preferentially enriched,and genes related to regulation of transcription were upregulated in GhMCU4-silenced plants.The contents of Ca^(2+)and H_(2)O_(2)were significantly increased in roots and leaves of GhMCU4-silenced plants.Fiber length and Ca^(2+)and H_(2)O_(2)contents in fibers were significantly increased in GhMCU4-silenced plants.This study indicated that GhMCU4 plays a negative role in regulating cell elongation in cotton,thus expanding understanding in the role of MCU proteins in plant growth and development.

Establishment of Double-antigen Sandwich Time-resolved Fluorescence Immunoassay for Detection of Pest des Petits Ruminants Virus

[Objectives]This study was conducted to explore rapid and large-scale screening and detection of peste des petits ruminants(PPR),so as to provide important technical means for prevention,control and purification of PPR.[Methods]Soluble N protein and NH fusion protein were successfully obtained in an Escherichia coli expression system by optimizing E.coli codon and expression conditions.Furthermore,based on purified soluble N protein and NH fusion protein,a double-antigen sandwich time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay method for detection of peste des petits ruminants virus(PPRV)was established.[Results]The method has high sensitivity and specificity and can specifically detect the antibody against PPRV in sheep serum,and it has no cross reaction with other related diseases.The method was used to detect 292 clinical samples,and compared with French IDVET competition ELISA kit.The coincidence rates of positive samples and negative samples from the two kinds of test kits were 92.47%and 97.26%,respectively,and the overall coincidence rate was 94.86%.The intra-group and inter-group coefficients of variation in the repeatability test were less than 10%.[Conclusions]Compared with the traditional ELISA method,the double-antigen sandwich time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay for detection of PPRV has equivalent sensitivity and specificity,and simple and rapid operation,and thus high application and popularization value.

菲并咪唑衍生物的化学结构与其热学性质的关系

菲并咪唑衍生物由于优异的热力学性能,在制备深蓝光、双极性、高效率的蓝光材料方面逐渐受到关注。本文在本课题组和多个课题组的研究成果基础上,以1,2-二苯基–菲并咪唑作为菲并咪唑衍生物结构的模型化合物,通过改变咪唑环的1,2号位取代基的位置、结构与链接方式,来研究其对玻璃化转变温度和热分解温度的变化影响规律。分析结果显示,玻璃化转变温度除了随分子空间位阻增大而降低,随共轭程度、平面性的增大而升高外,菲并咪唑的2号位取代对其影响更显著;而热分解温度基本上随着分子质量、共轭程度、分子平面性的增大而增加。这些为高热学稳定的菲并咪唑材料设计提供一定参考。

Fabrication and characterization of superconducting multiqubit device with niobium base layer

Superconducting transmon qubits are the leading platform in solid-state quantum computing and quantum simulation applications.In this work,we develop a fabrication process for the transmon multiqubit device with a niobium base layer,shadow-evaporated Josephson junctions,and airbridges across the qubit control lines to suppress crosstalk.Our results show that these multiqubit devices have well-characterized readout resonators,and that the energy relaxation and Ramsey(spin-echo)dephasing times are up to∼40µs and 14(47)µs,respectively.We perform single-qubit gate operations that demonstrate a maximum gate fidelity of 99.97%.In addition,two-qubit vacuum Rabi oscillations are measured to evaluate the coupling strength between qubits,and the crosstalk among qubits is found to be less than 1%with the fabricated airbridges.Further improvements in qubit coherence performance using this fabrication process are also discussed.

Observation of the exceptional point in superconducting qubit with dissipation controlled by parametric modulation

Open physical systems described by the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian with parity-time-reversal(PT)symmetry show peculiar phenomena,such as the presence of an exceptional point(EP)at which the PT symmetry is broken and two resonant modes of the Hamiltonian become degenerate.Near the EP,the system could be more sensitive to external perturbations and this may lead to enhanced sensing.In this paper,we present experimental results on the observation of PT symmetry broken transition and the EP using a tunable superconducting qubit.The quantum system of investigation is formed by the two levels of the qubit and the energy loss of the system to the environment is controlled by a method of parametric modulation of the qubit frequency.This method is simple with no requirements for additional elements or qubit device modifications.We believe it can be easily implemented on multi-qubit devices that would be suitable for further exploration of non-Hermitian physics in more complex and diverse systems.

Fabrication of Josephson parameter amplifier and its application in squeezing vacuum fluctuations

Josephson parameter amplifier(JPA)is a microwave signal amplifier device with near-quantum-limit-noise performance.It has important applications in scientific research fields such as quantum computing and dark matter detection.This work reports the fabrication and characterization of broadband JPA devices and their applications in multi-qubit readout and squeezing of vacuum state.We use a process in which transmission lines and electrodes are made of niobium thin film and aluminum Josephson junctions are made by Dolan bridge technique.We believe this process is more convenient than the process we used previously.The whole production process adopts electron beam lithography technology to ensure high structural resolution.The test result shows that the gain value of the manufactured JPA can exceed 15 dB,and the amplification bandwidth is about 400 MHz.The noise temperature is about 400 mK at the working frequency of 6.2 GHz.The devices have been successfully used in experiments involving superconducting multi-qubit quantum processors.Furthermore,the device is applied to squeeze vacuum fluctuations and a squeezing level of 1.635 dB is achieved.

Risk Identification based on Hidden Semi-Markov Model in Smart Distribution Network

The smart distribution system is the critical part of the smart grid, which also plays an important role in the safe and reliable operation of the power grid. The self-healing function of smart distribution network will effectively improve the security, reliability and efficiency, reduce the system losses, and promote the development of sustainable energy of the power grid. The risk identification process is the most fundamental and crucial part of risk analysis in the smart distribution network. The risk control strategies will carry out on fully recognizing and understanding of the risk events and the causes. On condition that the risk incidents and their reason are identified, the corresponding qualitative / quantitative risk assessment will be performed based on the influences and ultimately to develop effective control measures. This paper presents the concept and methodology on the risk identification by means of Hidden Semi-Markov Model (HSMM) based on the research of the relationship between the operating characteristics/indexes and the risk state, which provides the theoretical and practical support for the risk assessment and risk control technology.

Research on Characteristics of Atmospheric Pollution and Meteorological Condition in South of Northern China

Taking Handan City (the south of Northern China) as an example, and making use of the environmentally friendly materials of Handan Environmental Monitor Station in 2013-2014, the surface observational data of Handan Meteorological Station and the sounding data of Xingtai station, combined with the integrated analysis of numerical prediction and simulation, this paper shows that, in 2014, the air quality improved;the emission-reduction effect was significant;the days of heavy pollution decreased;and the days up to the standard increased;the annual average concentration of pollutants PM2.5 and PM10 in the whole city showed a decreasing tendency compared to the same period of last year. In 2014, there were a total of 9 weather processes of heavy pollution lasting more than 3 days and the duration was significantly shorter than that in 2013, which indicated that effective emission-reduction measures significantly shortened the duration of weather processes of heavy pollution. The comprehensive analysis of meteorological conditions, such as the days of light wind, wind speed, wind frequency, PM2.5 concentration at different wind directions, the thickness and intensity of the inversion layer, and the height of the mixed layer, showed that, compared with the same period in 2013, the general meteorological conditions of air pollutant dispersion were basically flat and slightly disadvantageous in 2014. Handan municipal government increased the intensity of the prevention and control of air pollution in 2014, promulgated and adopted a series of air pollution control policies and emission-reduction control measures, and achieved some results, especially the emission-reduction measures during the APEC meeting which were obviously effective.

Preparation of Ionic Liquid-immobilized HY Zeolite Catalysts and Application in the Synthesis of Propylene Carbonate

At first,NaY zeolite was modified to HY zeolite by ion exchange method,and then compound salt ion liquids were immobilized onto HY zeolite to prepare two immobilized ionic liquid catalysts HY-[HeMIM]Cl/(ZnBr_(2))_(2) and HY-[BMIM]Br/(ZnBr_(2))_(2).The synthesized immobilized ionic liquid catalysts were tested by FT-IR,XRD,TG and BET respectively.The results show that the prepared immobilized ionic liquids are the target product,have good thermal stability,and meet the requirements of catalysis.After immobilization,the intensity of crystallization peak is reduced,and the specific surface area becomes smaller.Conversion rate,selectivity and yield are as evaluation indicators to study the catalytic performance of immobilized ionic liquid catalysts for the synthesis of propylene carbonate from carbon dioxide and propylene oxide.Experimental results show that compound salt ion liquids were successfully immobilized on HY zeolite.Under the conditions of a temperature of 120℃,a pressure of 2.0 MPa,and a catalyst dosage of 2.0%,the catalytic effect of HY-[HeMIM]Cl/(ZnBr_(2))_(2) is better than HY-[BMIM]Br/(ZnBr_(2))_(2),and the conversion rate,selectivity and yield are 92.34%,98.87%and 91.30%.

Synthesis of Ethyl Methyl Carbonate Catalyzed by Immobilized Carboxylic Functionalized Ionic Liquids via Transesterification Reaction

The carboxylic functionalized ionic liquid was immobilized on the molecular sieve(MCM-22)and then applied in the catalytic synthe-sis of ethyl methyl carbonate(EMC)via transesterification of dimethyl carbonate(DMC)with ethanol.Combined characterization results of FT-IR,XRD and TG suggest that the ILs had been immobilized on molecular sieve MCM-22.The influences of reaction temperature,time,and the mass ratio of MCM-22-CPTES-MIL/Ca O have also been investigated in detail.The catalytic tests demonstrated that MCM-22-CPTES-MIL/Ca O could catalyze the transesterification of DMC and ethanol with high efficiency,superior to those results of the heterogeneous catalysts reported previously.

Uptake and Subcellular Distribution of Cd in Tobacco

In this study,tobacco cultivar Nanjiang No.3 was selected as the experimental material to uptake,accumulation and subcellular distribution of Cd in tobacco.The results showed that Cd uptake in tobacco leaves increased first then declined and increased again;the content generally in descending order of of Cd in various subcellular fractions of tobacco leaves demonstrated a descending order of cytosols〉cell walls〉mitochondria〉chloroplasts;the contents of Cd in various subcellular fractions of tobacco roots were in an descending order of cell walls〉cytosols〉mitochondria〉chloroplasts;under high Cd concentrations,tobacco plants were seriously harmed by Cd.This study provided theoretical basis for the improvement of tobacco production.

Establishment of High-sensitivity Rapid Fluorescence Quantitative Detection Method for Antibody against Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus

[Objectives]This study was conducted to establish a rapid quantitative method for detecting antibody against Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus(PPR V)in sheep serum.[Methods]Soluble N protein and NH fusion protein were obtained in Escherichia coli prokaryotic expression system by optimizing codons and expression conditions of E.coli.Furthermore,based on the purified soluble N protein and NH fusion protein,a high-sensitivity fluorescence immunoassay kit for detecting the antibody against PPR V was established.[Results]The method could quickly and quantitatively detect PPR V antibody in sheep serum,with high sensitivity and specificity,without any cross reaction to other related sheep pathogens.The intra-batch and inter-batch coefficients of variation were less than 10%and 15%,respectively,and the method had good repeatability.Through detection on 292 clinical serum samples,it was compared with the French IDVET competitive ELISA kit,and the coincidence rate of the two methods reached 93.84%.Compared with the serum neutralization test,the detected titer value of the high-sensitivity rapid fluorescence quantitative detection method was basically consistent with the tilter value obtained by the neutralization test on the standard positive serum(provided by the WOAH Brucellosis Reference Laboratory of France).[Conclusions]This method can realize rapid quantitative detection of PPR V antibody on site,and has high practical value and popularization value.

Two dimensional GeO_(2)/MoSi_(2)N_(4)van der Waals heterostructures with robust type-Ⅱ band alignment

Constructing two-dimensional(2D)van der Waals heterostructures(vdWHs)can expand the electronic and optoelectronic applications of 2D semiconductors.However,the work on the 2D vdWHs with robust band alignment is still scarce.Here,we employ a global structure search approach to construct the vdWHs with monolayer MoSi_(2)N_(4)and widebandgap GeO_(2).The studies show that the GeO_(2)/MoSi_(2)N_(4)vdWHs have the characteristics of direct structures with the band gap of 0.946 eV and typeII band alignment with GeO_(2)and MoSi_(2)N_(4)layers as the conduction band minimum(CBM)and valence band maximum(VBM),respectively.Also,the direct-to-indirect band gap transition can be achieved by applying biaxial strain.In particular,the 2D GeO_(2)/MoSi_(2)N_(4)vdWHs show a robust type-II band alignment under the effects of biaxial strain,interlayer distance and external electric field.The results provide a route to realize the robust type-II band alignment vdWHs,which is helpful for the implementation of optoelectronic nanodevices with stable characteristics.

Vulnerable Point Identification Using Heterogeneous Interdependent Node Theory for Distribution Systems

In order to reduce the occurrence or expansion of accidents and maintain safety in distribution networks,it is essential to find out the vulnerable points for the power system in time.In this paper,a vulnerable point identification method based on heterogeneous interdependent(HI)node theory and risk theory is proposed.Compared with the methods based on betweenness theory,the method based on HI nodes theory can deal with the shortcomings of the power flow shortest path,and consider the direct and indirect relationship of nodes.It is more suitable for identifying vulnerable points in a realistic power system.First,according to the analysis of heterogenous interdependent networks,the HI nodes are defined and used to evaluate the utility coupling value of each node.Then an identification indicator,which combines the utility coupling value and the risk indicators,is utilized to evaluate the vulnerability of each node.Results show that the proposed method is a suitable one to find the vulnerable points and better than betweennessbased methods for a distribution network.

Permitted emissions of major air pollutants from coal-fired power plants in China based on best available control technology

Based on the activity level and technical information of coal-fired power-generating units(CFPGU)obtained in China from 2011 to 2015,we,1)analyzed the time and spatial distribution of SO_(2) and NOx emission performance of CFPGUs in China;2)studied the impact of installed capacity,sulfur content of coal combustion,and unit operation starting time on CFPGUs’pollutant emission performance;and 3)proposed the SO_(2) and NOx emission performance standards for coal-fired power plants based on the best available control technology.Our results show that:1)the larger the capacity of a CFPGU,the higher the control level and the faster the improvement;2)the CFPGUs in the developed eastern regions had significantly lower SO_(2) and NOx emission performance values than those in other provinces due to better economic and technological development and higher environmental management levels;3)the SO_(2) and NOx emission performance of the Chinese thermal power industry was significantly affected by the single-unit capacity,coal sulfur content,and unit operation starting time;and 4)based on the achievability analysis of best available pollution control technology,we believe that the CFPGUs’SO_(2) emission performance reference values should be 0.34 g/kWh for active units in general areas,0.8 g/kWh for active units in high-sulfur coal areas,and 0.13 g/kWh for newly built units and active units in key areas.In addition,the NOx emission performance reference values should be 0.35 g/kWh for active units in general areas and 0.175 g/kWh for new units and active units in key areas.

Heavier Load Alters Upper Limb Muscle Synergy with Correlated fNIRS Responses in BA4 and BA6

In neurorehabilitation,motor performances may improve if patients could accomplish the training by overcoming mechanical loads.When the load inertia is increased,it has been found to trigger linear responses in motor-related cortices.The cortical responses,however,are unclear whether they also correlate to changes in muscular patterns.Therefore,it remains difficult to justify the magnitude of load during rehabilitation because of the gap between cortical and muscular activation.Here,we test the hypothesis that increases in load inertia may alter the muscle synergies,and the change in synergy may correlate with cortical activation.Twelve healthy subjects participated in the study.Each subject lifted dumbbells(either 0,3,or 15 pounds)from the resting position to the armpit repetitively at 1 Hz.Surface electromyographic signals were collected from 8 muscles around the shoulder and the elbow,and hemodynamic signals were collected using functional near-infrared spectroscopy from motor-related regions Brodmann Area 4(BA4)and BA6.Results showed that,given higher inertia,the synergy vectors differed farther from the baseline.Moreover,synergy similarity on the vector decreased linearly with cortical responses in BA4 and BA6,which associated with increases in inertia.Despite studies in literature that movements with similar kinematics tend not to differ in synergy vectors,we show a different possibility that the synergy vectors may deviate from a baseline.At least 2 consequences of adding inertia have been identified:to decrease synergy similarity and to increase motor cortical activity.The dual effects potentially provide a new benchmark for therapeutic goal setting.

Development of a biosensor assessing SARS-CoV-2 main protease proteolytic activity in living cells for antiviral drugs screening

Dear Editor,The Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2).The genome of this virus encodes two overlapping polyproteins,pp1a and pp1ab(Wu et al.,2020;Zhou et al.,2020).The functional polypeptides are released from those two polyproteins by extensive proteolytic events.