Li-Rich Organosulfur Cathode with Boosted Kinetics for High-Energy Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Organosulfur materials containing sulfur-sulfur bonds are an emerging class of high-capacity cathodes for lithium storage.However,it remains a great challenge to achieve rapid conversion reaction kinetics at practical testing conditions of high cathode mass loading and low electrolyte utilization.In this study,a Li-rich pyrolyzed polyacrylonitrile/selenium disulfide(pPAN/Se_(2)S_(3))composite cathode is synthesized by deep lithiation to address the above challenges.The Li-rich molecular structure significantly boosts the lithium storage kinetics by accelerating lithium diffusivity and improving electronic conductivity.Even under practical test conditions requiring a lean electrolyte(Electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 4.1μL mg^(-1))and high loading(7 mg cm^(-2)of pPAN/Se_(2)S_(3)),DL-pPAN/Se_(2)S_(3)exhibits a specific capacity of 558 mAh g^(-1),maintaining 484 mAh g^(-1)at the 100th cycle with an average Coulombic efficiency of near 100%.Moreover,it provides(electro)chemically stable Li resources to offset Li consumption over charge-discharge cycles.As a result the as-fabricated anode-free cell shows a superior cycling stability with 90%retention of the initial capacity over 45 cycles.This study provides a novel approach for fabricating high-energy and stable Li-SPAN cells.

Designing Advanced Liquid Electrolytes for Alkali Metal Batteries:Principles,Progress,and Perspectives

The ever-growing pursuit of high energy density batteries has triggered extensive efforts toward developing alkali metal(Li,Na,and K)battery(AMB)technologies owing to high theoretical capacities and low redox potentials of metallic anodes.Typically,for new battery systems,the electrolyte design is critical for realizing the battery electrochemistry of AMBs.Conventional electrolytes in alkali ion batteries are generally unsuitable for sustaining the stability owing to the hyper-reactivity and dendritic growth of alkali metals.In this review,we begin with the fundamentals of AMB electrolytes.Recent advancements in concentrated and fluorinated electrolytes,as well as functional electrolyte additives for boosting the stability of Li metal batteries,are summarized and discussed with a special focus on structure-composition-performance relationships.We then delve into the electrolyte formulations for Na-and K metal batteries,including those in which Na/K do not adhere to the Li-inherited paradigms.Finally,the challenges and the future research needs in advanced electrolytes for AMB are highlighted.This comprehensive review sheds light on the principles for the rational design of promising electrolytes and offers new inspirations for developing stable AMBs with high performance.

Layered Trichalcogenidophosphate:A New Catalyst Family for Water Splitting

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.

Graphene-supported bimetal phosphorus trisulfides as novel 0D–2D nanohybrid for high rate Li-ion storage

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%.

Anemoside B4 inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro and in vivo

Objective: Anemoside B4(AB4), the most abundant triterpenoidal saponin isolated from Pulsatilla chinensis, inhibited influenza virus FM1 or Klebsiella pneumoniae-induced pneumonia. However, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 effect of AB4 has not been unraveled. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the antiviral activity and potential mechanism of AB4 in inhibiting human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in vivo and in vitro.Methods: The cytotoxicity of AB4 was evaluated using the Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK8) assay. SARS-CoV-2 infected HEK293T, HPAEpiC, and Vero E6 cells were used for in vitro assays. The antiviral effect of AB4 in vivo was evaluated by SARS-CoV-2-infected hACE2-IRES-luc transgenic mouse model. Furthermore,label-free quantitative proteomics and bioinformatic analysis were performed to explore the potential antiviral mechanism of action of AB4. Type Ⅰ IFN signaling-associated proteins were assessed using Western blotting or immumohistochemical staining.Results: The data showed that AB4 reduced the propagation of SARS-CoV-2 along with the decreased Nucleocapsid protein(N), Spike protein(S), and 3C-like protease(3CLpro) in HEK293T cells. In vivo antiviral activity data revealed that AB4 inhibited viral replication and relieved pneumonia in a SARS-CoV-2 infected mouse model. We further disclosed that the antiviral activity of AB4 was associated with the enhanced interferon(IFN)-β response via the activation of retinoic acid-inducible gene Ⅰ(RIG-1) like receptor(RLP) pathways. Additionally, label-free quantitative proteomic analyses discovered that 17 proteins were significantly altered by AB4 in the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections cells. These proteins mainly clustered in RNA metabolism.Conclusion: Our results indicated that AB4 inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication through the RLR pathways and moderated the RNA metabolism, suggesting that it would be a potential lead compound for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs.

Refractive index sensing based on a twisted nano-kirigami metasurface

Plasmonic sensing technology has attracted considerable attention for high sensitivity due to the ability to effectively localize and manipulate light.In this study,we demonstrate a refractive index(RI)sensing scheme based on open-loop twisted meta-molecule arrays using the versatile nano-kirigami principle.RI sensing has the features of a small footprint,flexible control,and simple preparation.By engineering the morphology of meta-molecules or the RI of the ambient medium,the chiral surface lattice resonances can be significantly enhanced,and the wavelength,intensity,and sign of circular dichroism(CD)can be flexibly tailored.Utilizing the relation between the wavelength of the CD peak and the RI of the superstrate,the RI sensor achieves a sensitivity of 1133 nm/RIU.Additionally,we analyze these chiroptical responses by performing electromagnetic multipolar decomposition and electric field distributions.Our study may serve as an ideal platform for applications of RI measurement and provide new insights into the manipulation of chiral light–matter interactions.

A Deep Learning-Enabled Skin-Inspired Pressure Sensor for Complicated Recognition Tasks with Ultralong Life

Flexible full-textile pressure sensor is able to integrate with clothing directly,which has drawn extensive attention from scholars recently.But the realization of flexible full-textile pressure sensor with high sensitivity,wide detection range,and long working life remains challenge.Complex recognition tasks necessitate intricate sensor arrays that require extensive data processing and are susceptible to damage.The human skin is capable of interpreting tactile signals,such as sliding,by encoding pressure changes and performing complex perceptual tasks.Inspired by the skin,we have developed a simple dip-and-dry approach to fabricate a full-textile pressure sensor with signal transmission layers,protective layers,and sensing layers.The sensor achieves high sensitivity(2.16 kPa^(−1)),ultrawide detection range(0 to 155.485 kPa),impressive mechanical stability of 1 million loading/unloading cycles without fatigue,and low material cost.The signal transmission layers that collect local signals enable real-world complicated task recognition through one single sensor.We developed an artificial Internet of Things system utilizing a single sensor,which successfully achieved high accuracy in 4 tasks,including handwriting digit recognition and human activity recognition.The results demonstrate that skin-inspired full-textile sensor paves a promising route toward the development of electronic textiles with important potential in real-world applications,including human–machine interaction and human activity detection.

125I Radioactive Particles Drive Protective Autophagy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Upregulating ATG9B

Background and Aims:125I radioactive particles implantation have demonstrated efficacy in eradicating hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,progressive resistance of HCC to 125I radioactive particles has limited its wide clinical application.Methods:We investigated the cellular responses to 125I radioactive particles treatment and autophagy-related 9B(ATG9B)silencing in HCC cell lines and Hep3B xenografted tumor model using Cell Counting Kit-8 reagent,western blotting,immunofluorescence,flow cytometry,transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry.Results:In this study,we demonstrated that 125I radioactive particles induced cell apoptosis and protective autophagy of HCC in vitro and in vivo.Inhibition of autophagy enhanced the radiosensitivity of HCC to 125I radioactive particles.Moreover,125I radioactive particles induced autophagy by upregulating ATG9B,with increased expression level of LC3B and decreased expression level of p62.Furthermore,ATG9B silencing downregulated LC3B expression and upregulated p62 expression and enhanced radiosensitivity of HCC to 125I radioactive particles in vitro and in vivo.Conclusions:Inhibition of ATG9B enhanced the antitumor effects of 125I particle radiation against HCC in vitro and in vivo.Our findings suggest that 125I particle radiation plus chloroquine or/and the ATG9B inhibitor may be a novel therapeutic strategy for HCC.

快速微波还原电化学衍生氧化石墨烯制备高结晶石墨烯膜

电化学氧化石墨,可用于大规模合成氧化石墨烯,是一种可持续且直接的方法.然而,关于电化学衍生氧化石墨烯(EGO)进一步还原的研究却很缺少.本文中,我们报道了EGO膜的快速微波还原过程.化学法合成的氧化石墨烯膜需要数分钟微波辐射才能被还原,但是我们制备的EGO膜经3秒微波辐射即可转化为高结晶石墨烯膜(HCGM),并且该过程无需对膜进行预处理或添加微波增敏剂.与以前报道的微波法制备的石墨烯相比,本文制备的HCGM具有大尺寸芳香区(约100 nm)、高碳/氧原子比(约33)和高电导率(约5×10^(4)S m^(−1)).EGO的高微波还原效率可以归因于其独特分子结构,EGO中丰富的芳香区可高效吸收微波,引发EGO膜实现瞬时体相加热.该研究加深了对氧化石墨烯微波还原机理的理解,并为HCGM的生产提供了一条便捷途径.

旋桨手性微纳结构及其圆二色性研究进展

手性是自然界的基本属性之一,其概念已经深入到我们生活的各个方面,比如艺术品、建筑设计、医药、农药、生命、信息、手性光电功能材料和器件等领域.自从科学家在19世纪发现手性物质的光学活性以来,手性光与物质相互作用研究已经成为光学领域最前沿的研究之一.由于天然手性物质的手性光学响应很弱且难以调谐,研究者创造性地设计出了各种各样的人工手性结构来增强手性光学相互作用,并实现了许多新颖的物理现象.与传统的螺旋型手性结构不同,本文重点介绍了基于纳米剪纸技术的人工旋桨手性微纳结构及其在手性光学中的应用.这种人工旋桨手性与传统的手性结构在几何形貌和物理响应机制等方面有着很大区别,例如具有新颖的面外立体扭曲和手性竞争机制.这些独特之处使其在光学圆二色性调控方面具备突出优势,仅通过微小扰动就能实现圆二色性强度、符号、波长的灵活剪裁,为新型人工手性微纳结构提供了新颖的设计思路,并为深入研究手性物理提供了一个理想平台.

Inverse opal manganese dioxide constructed by few-layered ultrathin nanosheets as high-performance cathodes for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

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.

Catalyzing polysulfide conversion by g-C3N4 in a graphene network for long-life lithium-sulfur batteries

The practical application of lithium-sulfur batteries with a high energy density has been plagued by the poor cycling stability of the sulfur cathode, which is a result of the insulating nature of sulfur and the dissolution of polysulfides. Much work has been done to construct nanostructured or doped carbon as a porous or polar host for promising sulfur cathodes, although restricting the polysulfide shuttle effect by improving the redox reaction kinetics is more attractive. Herein, we present a well-designed strategy by introducing graphitic carbon nitride （g-C3N4） into a three-dimensional hierarchical porous graphene assembly to achieve a synergistic combination of confinement and catalyzation of polysulfides. The porous g-CBN4 nanosheets in situ formed inside the graphene network afford a highly accessible surface to catalyze the transformation of polysulfides, and the hierarchical porous graphene-assembled carbon can function as a conductive network and provide appropriate space for g-C3N4 catalysis in the sulfur cathode. Thus, this hybrid can effectively improve sulfur utilization and block the dissolution of polysulfides, achieving excellent cycling performance for sulfur cathodes in lithium-sulfur batteries.

Sodium-rich NASICON-structured cathodes for boosting the energy density and lifespan of sodium-free-anode sodium metal batteries

Rechargeable sodium metal batteries(SMBs)have emerged as promising alternatives to commercial Li-ion batteries because of the natural abundance and low cost of sodium resources.However,the overuse of metallic sodium in conventional SMBs limits their energy densities and leads to severe safety concerns.Herein,we propose a sodium-free-anode SMB(SFA-SMB)configuration consisting of a sodium-rich Na superionic conductor-structured cathode and a bare Al/C current collector to address the above challenges.Sodiated Na_(3)V_(2)(PO_(4))_(3)in the form of Na_(5)V_(2)(PO_(4))_(3)was investigated as a cathode to provide a stable and controllable sodium source in the SFA-SMB.It provides not only remarkable Coulombic efficiencies of Na plating/stripping cycles but also a highly reversible three-electron redox reaction within 1.0–3.8 V versus Na/Na+confirmed by structural/electrochemical measurements.Consequently,an ultrahigh energy density of 400 Wh kg^(-1)was achieved for the SFA-SMB with fast Na storage kinetics and impressive capacity retention of 93%after 130 cycles.A narrowed voltage window(3.0–3.8 V vs.Na/Na+)further increased the lifespan to over 300 cycles with a high retained specific energy of 320 Wh kg^(-1).Therefore,the proposed SFA-SMB configuration opens a new avenue for fabricating next-generation batteries with high energy densities and long lifetimes.

Establishing distinctive theories and methods of design science rooted in Chinese traditional culture

The human social development saw the formation of five unique civilizations,with the latter forming their own distinctive cultures.China’s traditional culture is its most fundamental ideological weapon for solving problems.The Chinese are good at comprehensive thinking,dialectical thinking,and systematic analysis.These ideological weapons can solve the problems of formal science and technology and create scientific and technological achievements on par with global advanced scale.Ancient China is filled with original scientific and technological achievements,which strongly prove ancient China’s possession of its own science and technology different from that of Western Renaissance.Therefore,a comprehensive understanding of science,technology,experience,and intuition is necessary.The long-held superstition regarding the West,the lack of confidence,self-denial,blind imitation of ideas,and shackles must be thrown away.Only then can we take the road toward an authentic Chinese creative design as we learn from others.