Mitigating volume expansion of silicon-based anode through interfacial engineering based on intermittent discharge strategy

Silicon is considered to be one of the most promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs),but its application is limited by the large volume expansion during alloying and dealloying.The constructing of a high-performance solid electrolyte interface(SEI) film on the surface of the anode material is considered to be one of the effective strategies to mitigate volume expansion of silicon-based anode.In this study,an intermittent discharge strategy which helps to improve the utilization efficiency of electrolyte additive of lithium difluorobisoxalate phosphate(LiDFBOP) is proposed to construct a highly conductive and dense SEI film.The results of electrochemical and physical characterization and theoretical calculations show that the intermittent discharge in the voltage range from open circuit voltage(OCV) to 1.8 V facilitates the diffusion of the soluble products,creates the conditions for the repeated direct contact between Si@C anode and LiDFBOP additive,increases the decomposition of LiDFBOP additive,and thus produces a uniform,dense and inorganics-rich(Li_(2)C_(2)O_(4),LiF and Li_(x)PO_yF_z) SEI film.Subsequently,this SEI film helps to ensure the even intercalation/de-intercalation of Li^(+) in the SEI film and the homogeneous diffusion of Li^(+) inside the Si particles,decreasing the internal stresses and anisotropic phase transitions,maintaining the integrity of Si particles,inhibiting the volume expansion and thu s improving the electrochemical performance of cells.This study not only improves the utilization efficiency of expensive additives through a simply and low-cost method,but also enriches the strategy to improve the electrochemical performance of Si@C anode through interfacial engineering.

Mechanism of high-concentration electrolyte inhibiting the destructive effect of Mn(Ⅱ)on the performance of lithium-ion batteries

By optimizing electrolyte formulation to inhibit the deposition of transition metal ions(TMIs) on the surface of the graphite anode is an effective way to improve the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries.At present,it is generally believed the formation of an effective interfacial film on the surface of the anode electrode is the leading factor in reducing the dissolution of TMIs and prevent TMIs from being embedded in the electrode.It ignores the influence of the solvation structures in the electrolyte system with different composition,and is not conducive to the design of the electrolyte formulation from the perspective of changing the concentration and the preferred solvent to inhibit the degradation of battery performance caused by TMIs deposition.In this work,by analyzing the special solvation structures of the high-concentra tion electrolyte,we study the main reason why high-concentration electrolyte inhibits the destructive effect of Mn(Ⅱ) on the electrochemical performance of LIBs.By combining the potentialresolved in-situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technology(PRIs-EIS) and density functional theory(DFT) calculation,we find that Mn(Ⅱ) mainly exists in the form of contact ions pairs(CIPs) and aggregates(AGGs) in high-concentration electrolyte.These solvation structures can reduce the destructive effect of Mn(Ⅱ) on battery performance from two aspects:on the one hand,it can rise the lowest unoccupied orbital(LUMO) value of the solvation structures of Mn(Ⅱ),thereby reducing the chance of its reduction;on the other hand,the decrease of Mn2+ions reduction can reduce the deposition of metallic manganese in the solid electrolyte interphase(SEI),thereby avoiding the continuous growth of the SEI.This study can be provided inspiration for the design of electrolytes to inhibit the destructive effect of TMls on LIBs.

不同生境类型枣园中节肢动物群落结构特征(英文)

在山西太谷枣区对不同间作生境组合类型枣园的节肢动物群落结构特征进行了研究,结果表明,在有杂草的枣园与其他枣园相比,节肢动物的物种数最大(P<0.05),而节肢动物物种的个体数最小(P<0.05),而在单作无杂草的枣园则相反(P<0.05)。植食性类群的物种数和个体数在单作无杂草的枣园显著(P<0.05)大于其间作类型的枣园,而捕食性和寄生性的物种数和个体数则明显(P<0.05)小于其间作类型的枣园,而在有杂草的枣园则相反。枣树与大豆和棉花间作枣园的捕食性和寄生性的物种数和个体数则明显(P<0.05)大于枣树与大豆间作的枣园,而枣树与大豆间作的枣园与单作无杂草枣园的寄生性的物种数和个体数则无明显差异(P>0.05),但捕食性的物种数有大豆的枣园明显(P<0.05)大于单作无杂草枣园,而个体数则无明显差异(P>0.05)。多样性均匀度和相对稳定性指数研究结果表明有杂草的枣园明显(P<0.05)大于单作无杂草枣园,枣树与大豆和棉花间作的枣园明显(P<0.05)大于枣树与大豆间作的枣园,而优势度则相反。研究结果进一步表明,在枣园合理间作多种作物或者适当保留一定的杂草,不仅可以减少天敌昆虫迁出枣园,而且还可以增加枣园天敌的物种数量和节肢动物群落结构的多样性和均匀度,同时还能有效地利用枣园的空间和自然资源,增加单位面积的产量。

Unimolecular Self-Assembled Hemicyanine-Oleic Acid Conjugate Acts as a Novel Succinate Dehydrogenase Inhibitor to Amplify Photodynamic Therapy and Eliminate Cancer Stem Cells

Photodynamic therapy with reactive oxygen species production is a prospective treatment to combat cancer stem cells(CSCs).However,the innate drawbacks,including short lifetime and diffusion distance of reactive oxygen species and hypoxia within solid tumors,have become bottlenecks for clinical applications of photodynamic therapy.Here,we develop a mitochondria-targeting hemicyanine-oleic acid conjugate(CyOA),which can self-assemble into supramolecular nanoparticles(NPs)without any exogenous excipients.CyOA is also shown for targeting the mitochondrial complex II protein succinate dehydrogenase to inhibit oxidative phosphorylation and reverse tumor hypoxia,resulting in 50.4-fold higher phototoxicity against breast cancer stem cells(BCSCs)compared to SO_(3)-CyOA NPs that cannot target to mitochondria.In 4T1 and BCSC tumor models,CyOA NPs achieve higher tumor inhibition and less lung metastasis nodules compared to the clinically used photosensitizer Hiporfin.This study develops a self-assembled small molecule that can serve as both oxidative phosphorylation inhibitor and photosensitizer for eradication of CSCs and treatment of solid tumors.

Building surface defects by doping with transition metal on ultrafine TiO_2 to enhance the photocatalytic H_2 production activity

Inefficient charge separation and limited light absorption are two critical issues associated with high‐efficiency photocatalytic H2production using TiO2.Surface defects within a certain concentration range in photocatalyst materials are beneficial for photocatalytic activity.In this study,surface defects(oxygen vacancies and metal cation replacement defects)were induced with a facile and effective approach by surface doping with low‐cost transition metals(Co,Ni,Cu,and Mn)on ultrafine TiO2.The obtained surface‐defective TiO2exhibited a3–4‐fold improved activity compared to that of the original ultrafine TiO2.In addition,a H2production rate of3.4μmol/h was obtained using visible light(λ>420nm)irradiation.The apparent quantum yield(AQY)at365nm reached36.9%over TiO2‐Cu,significantly more than the commercial P25TiO2.The enhancement of photocatalytic H2production activity can be attributed to improved rapid charge separation efficiency andexpanded light absorption window.This hydrothermal treatment with transition metal was proven to be a very facile and effective method for obtaining surface defects.

Identification of berbamine dihydrochloride from barberry as an anti-adipogenic agent by high-content imaging assay

Objective:Lipid droplet(LD)deposition in adipose tissue is a critical factor leading to metabolic dysfunction.Various herbal medicines in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)are used to treat hyperlipidemia,type 2 diabetes,obesity,and other diseases.The objective of this study was to identify potential anti-adipogenic agents from TCM herbal compounds.Methods:One hundred and twenty compounds were evaluated in terms of their effect on adipocyte differentiation through image-based high content screening.Anti-adipogenic effects of identified hits were further confirmed at various concentrations.In addition,drug-induced liver injury assay was performed with HepG2 cells to test the hepatotoxicity of hit compounds.Results:Berbamine(BBM),a chemical isolated from barberry,and a derivative of BBM,berbamine dihydrochloride(BBMD),reduced LDs formation by more than 50%.Dose-dependent effects were observed and the IC50 values of the two hits,BBM and BBMD,were determined as 1.88 mM and 0.95 mM,respectively.Moreover,BBM induced mild HepG2 cell injury,while its dihydrochloridedBBMD did not exhibit hepatotoxicity within 40 mM.Conclusion:This study demonstrates that BBMD may be a potential therapeutic candidate for disorders associated with elevated LDs accumulation.

Design and performance improvement of SiNPs@graphene@C composite with a popcorn structure

Silicon anodes are considered to be the most promising alternatives owing to their theoretical specific capacity,which is almost 10 times higher than that of graphite anodes.However,huge volume changes during charging and discharging affect their interface stability,which strongly limits their application in commercial batteries.Herein,a popcorn-structured silicon-carbon composite(SiNPs@graphene@C),composed of silicon nanoparticles(SiNPs),graphene spheres and pitch-based carbon,is prepared by spraydrying followed by a wet process.The resulting SiNPs@graphene@C composite has good flexibility and elastic-strain capacity due to the graphene substrate,and it possesses macrostructural integrity and mechanical stability during cycling due to the rigid carbon–carbon chemical bonds.As a result,it shows a discharge-specific capacity of 481.3 mAh g^(-1)and a capacity retention of 82.9%after 500 cycles at 1 A g^(-1).Besides,the initial coulomb efficiency is increased from 65.7%to 86.5%by pre-lithiation,which improves the feasibility of commercialising the SiNPs@graphene@C composite.

Magnetic Null-Pairs within Magnetic Reconnection Ion Diffusion Region in the Magnetotail: A Case Study

The 3-dimentional structure of magnetic reconnection ion diffusion region has been studied in this paper. Steady magnetic null-pair structure is found among the Cluster tetrahedron within a thin current sheet when magnetic reconnection takes place in the near-Earth magnetotail. Two magnetic null points in the null-pair are well coupled, with an angle of about 3~7° between the spin line of one and the fan surface of the other. The magnetic null-pair detected in the ion diffusion region, is quasi-stable in spatial structure but fast evolved in time, consistent with the fast reconnection scenario. The spatially steady magnetic null-pair within the diffusion region of the collision less fast magnetic reconnection presents an advanced understanding of the magnetic reconnection process.

3D-printed hierarchical porous and multidimensional conductive network based on conducting polymer/graphene oxide

Designing ultrathick and hierarchical electrodes is effective to deal with the challenge of high areal capacity and high power density for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)manufacturing.Here,a thick electrode with hierarchical porous and multidimensional conductive network is fabricated by 3D printing tech-nology,in which both the conducting polymer of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):polystyrene sul-fonate(PEDOT:PSS)and graphene oxide(GO)play the dual roles as binders and conductive agents.As a consequence,the 3D-printed thick electrode(~900 mm)with a mass loading of~47 mg/cm^(2) exhibits a good rate capability of 122 mA·h/g at 2 C,a high areal capacity of up to 5.8 mA·h/cm^(2),and stable cycling performance of~95%capacity retention after 100 cycles.Moreover,the C-O-S bond is further confirmed by the spectral analysis and the DFT calculation,which not only hinders the stack of nanosheets but enhances the mechanical stability and electronic conductivity of electrodes.A stable covalent multidi-mensional conductive network constructed by 3D-printing technology provides a new design strategy to improve the performance of LIBs.

Granularity control enables high stability and elevated-temperature properties of micron-sized single-crystal LiNi_(0.5)Mn_(1.5)O_(4) cathodes at high voltage

The development of high energy density LiNi_(0.5)Mn_(1.5)O_(4)(LNMO)cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries are challenged by capacity degradation,which becomes more aggravated particularly at elevated temperatures.Thus,the practical strategy with facile craft and the viability of large-scale preparation for industrialized applications should be developed urgently.In this work,a micron-sized LNMO single crystals is synthesized by a facile two-step method consisting of an alcohol gel solvent method and a segmented sintering reaction.Results show that the truncated polyhedron LNMO-900 sample,with the moderate D50 characteristic value of 4.429 mm and the highest tap density of 2.31 g cm^(-3),provides a stable structural and chemical stability even at elevated testing temperature due to its moderate specific surface area and the few Fd-3m phase.The LNMO/Li half-cells display more excellent capacity retention(87.3% at 1C and 25℃ after 500 cycles)and better thermal stability(76.65% at 1C and 55℃ after 200 cycles)than those of the single crystals of LNMO-850 and LNMO-950.Besides,the XPS,in-situ EIS and electrochemical tests results also prove that the LNMO-900 exhibits the lowest electrolyte decomposition degree,owing to a thin and effective solid-electrolyte interfacial film formed after cycles.

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell targeting EGFRvIII for metastatic lung cancer therapy

Lung cancer is the most common incident cancer and the leading cause of cancer death. In recent years, the development of tumor immunotherapy especially chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell has shown a promising future. Epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvlll) is a tumor-specific mutation expressed in various types of tumors and has been detected in non-small cell lung cancer with a mutation rate of 10%. Thus, EGFRvIII is a potential antigen for targeted lung cancer therapy. In this study, CAR vectors were constructed and transfected into virus-packaging cells. Then, activated T cells were infected with retrovirus harvested from stable virus-producing single clone cell lines. CAR expression on the surfaces of the T cells was detected by flow cytometry and Western blot. The function of CAR-T targeting EGFRvIII was then evaluated. The EGFRvIII-CAR vector was successfully constructed and confirmed by DNA sequencing. A stable virus-producing cell line was produced from a single clone by limited dilution. The culture conditions for the cell line, including cell density, temperature, and culture medium were optimized. After infection with retrovirus, CAR was expressed on more than 90% of the T cells. The proliferation of CAR-T cells were induced by cytokine and specific antigen in vitro. More importantly, EGFRvIII-CART specifically and efficiently recognized and killed A549-EGFRvIII cells with an effector/target ratio of 10:1 by expressing and releasing cytokines, including perforin, granzyme B, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. The in vivo study indicated that the metastasis of A549-EGFRvIII cells in mice were inhibited by EGFRvIII-CART cells, and the survival of the mice was significantly prolonged with no serious side effects. EGFRvIII-CART showed significantly efficient antitumor activity against lung cancer cells expressing EGFRvlll in vivo and in vitro. Therefore, CAR-T targeting EGFRvIII is a potential therapeutic strategy in preventing recurrence and metastasis of lung cancer after surgery.

Development of a functional cell-based HTS assay for identification of NKCC1-negative modulators

Na–K–Cl cotransporter 1(NKCC1) cotransports Na+, K+, and Cl-ions across the plasma membrane into cells. Accumulation of Cl-ions in dorsal root ganglion neurons induces depolarizing GABAA receptors, which mediate presynaptic inhibition and filtration of sensory noise. The activity of the Na–K–Cl cotransporter is modulated by high-dose loop diuretics, such as furosemide and bumetanide. To identify NKCC1 modulators, we developed a functional cell-based assay feasible for highthroughput screening(HTS), in which the activity of NKCC1 was detected by a BTC-AM dye-based thallium transportation assay. We demonstrated that the influx of Tl?was mediated by NKCC1, which required the existence of Cl-ions and could be inhibited by bumetanide and furosemide. Our results demonstrated that the assay was stable, reproducible, and suitable for HTS of negative modulators for NKCC1.