Enabling an Inorganic-Rich Interface via Cationic Surfactant for High-Performance Lithium Metal Batteries

An anion-rich electric double layer(EDL)region is favorable for fabricating an inorganic-rich solid-electrolyte interphase(SEI)towards stable lithium metal anode in ester electrolyte.Herein,cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB),a cationic surfactant,is adopted to draw more anions into EDL by ionic interactions that shield the repelling force on anions during lithium plating.In situ electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy results combined with molecular dynamics simulations validate the enrichment of NO_(3)^(−)/FSI−anions in the EDL region due to the positively charged CTA^(+).In-depth analysis of SEI structure by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry results confirmed the formation of the inorganic-rich SEI,which helps improve the kinetics of Li^(+)transfer,lower the charge transfer activation energy,and homogenize Li deposition.As a result,the Li||Li symmetric cell in the designed electrolyte displays a prolongated cycling time from 500 to 1300 h compared to that in the blank electrolyte at 0.5 mA cm^(-2) with a capacity of 1 mAh cm^(-2).Moreover,Li||LiFePO_(4) and Li||LiCoO_(2) with a high cathode mass loading of>10 mg cm^(-2) can be stably cycled over 180 cycles.

Hybrid anionic block copolymerization:From organocatalysis-streamlined crossover to internally microphase-separated aggregates

Polyolefin-b-poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO)represents the most widely investigated amphiphilic block copolymers.So far,one-pot continuous synthesis of such hybrid block copolymers has only been fulfilled by anionic polymerization through sequen-tial addition of vinyl monomers and ethylene oxide(EO).It still remains challenging to achieve altogether high block efficiency,high polymerization efficiency,and high molar mass for PEO.Here,we report a one-pot hybrid block copolymerization approach to polyisoprene/polystyrene(PI/PS)-b-PEO,in which PI/PS are formed by sBuLi-initiated anionic vinyl-addition polymerization,then in situ employed as macroinitiators for the anionic ring-opening polymerization(ROP)of EO aided by an organic Lewis pair.The cooperative(dual-ion-complexing)catalytic effect of organobase and triethylborane is proven,for thefirst time,effective for lithium alkoxide initiator system,allowing to achieve at room temperature high ROP activity(complete EO conversion and PEO of 3–64 kg/mol reached in 1–6 h),narrow molar mass distribution,controlled block lengths and composition.Density functional the-ory calculation shows that phosphazene bases are particularly effective,compared with N-heterocyclic bases,for complexing with Li+and enhancing the nucleophilic-ity of oxyanion.The rate of ROP is also affected by Li+-induced aggregation of the chain-end ion pairs,which though can be offset by adequate catalyst loadings.The versatility of this approach is further demonstrated in the one-pot synthesis of tri-/tetrablock ter-/quaterpolymers constituted by PI,PS,PEO,and poly(propylene oxide).Of great interest,PS-b-PI-b-PEO triblock terpolymer with a specific com-position is found to form internally microphase-separated micellar aggregates when dispersed in water.

Lithium Salt Combining Fluoroethylene Carbonate Initiates Methyl Methacrylate Polymerization Enabling Dendrite-Free Solid-State Lithium Metal Battery

This work demonstrates a novel polymerization-derived polymer electrolyte consisting of methyl methacrylate,lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide and fluoroethylene carbonate.The polymerization of MMA was initiated by the amino compounds following an anionic catalytic mechanism.LiTFSI plays both roles including the initiator and Li ion source in the polymer electrolyte.Normally,lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide has difficulty in initiating the polymerization reaction of methyl methacrylate monomer,a very high concentration of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide is needed for initiating the polymerization.However,the fluoroethylene carbonate additive can work as a supporter to facilitate the degree of dissociation of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide and increase its initiator capacity due to the high dielectric constant.The as-prepared poly-methyl methacrylate-based polymer electrolyte has a high ionic conductivity(1.19×10^(−3)S cm^(−1)),a wide electrochemical stability window(5 V vs Li^(+)/Li),and a high Li ion transference number(t_(Li^(+)))of 0.74 at room temperature(RT).Moreover,this polymerization-derived polymer electrolyte can effectively work as an artificial protective layer on Li metal anode,which enabled the Li symmetric cell to achieve a long-term cycling performance at 0.2 mAh cm^(−2)for 2800 h.The LiFePO_(4)battery with polymerization-derived polymer electrolyte-modified Li metal anode shows a capacity retention of 91.17%after 800 cycles at 0.5 C.This work provides a facile and accessible approach to manufacturing poly-methyl methacrylate-based polymerization-derived polymer electrolyte and shows great potential as an interphase in Li metal batteries.

Fabrication and Properties of a New Reactive Diluent for Cationic UV Curing

The reactive diluent prepared by siloxane modified Trimethylene oxide can improve the performance of the UV curing system.Therefore,1,7-bis[(3-ethyl-3-methoxyoxacylobutane)propyl]octadecylosiloxane(BEMOPOMTS)was synthesized from diethyl carbonate,trimethylopropanes,allyl bromide,and 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octadecylosiloxane as the main raw materials.BEMOPOMTS can be used as reactive diluents in the field of cationic UV curing.It has good thermal stability,and the addition of BEMOPOMTS significantly improves the tensile strength and elongation at break of epoxy resin.Compared with the pure epoxy resin,adding 20%BEMOPOMTS increased the elastic modulus by 25%to 677 MPa.

Cationic ordering transition in oxygen-redox layered oxide cathodes

Understanding the structural origin of the competition between oxygen 2p and transition-metal 3d orbitals in oxygen-redox(OR)layered oxides is eminently desirable for exploring reversible and high-energy-density Li/Na-ion cathodes.Here,we reveal the correlation between cationic ordering transition and OR degradation in ribbon-ordered P3-Na_(0.6)Li_(0.2)Mn_(0.8)O_(2) via in situ structural analysis.Comparing two different voltage windows,the OR capacity can be improved approximately twofold when suppressing the in-plane cationic ordering transition.We find that the intralayer cationic migration is promoted by electrochemical reduction from Mn^(4+)to Jahn–Teller Mn^(3+)and the concomitant NaO_(6) stacking transformation from triangular prisms to octahedra,resulting in the loss of ribbon ordering and electrochemical decay.First-principles calculations reveal that Mn^(4+)/Mn^(3+)charge ordering and alignment of the degenerate eg orbital induce lattice-level collective Jahn–Teller distortion,which favors intralayer Mn-ion migration and thereby accelerates OR degradation.These findings unravel the relationship between in-plane cationic ordering and OR reversibility and highlight the importance of superstructure protection for the rational design of reversible OR-active layered oxide cathodes.

Efficient in-situ end-functionalization of polydienes by isothiocyanate via neodymium mediated coordinative chain transfer polymerization system

End-functionalization of polydiene rubbers can not only improve its compatibility with inorganic fillers,but also enhance the overall mechanical properties.Nevertheless,for traditional neodymium(Nd)diene polymerization systems,it is highly challenging to achieve such end-functionalizations,because most of polydienyl chains are capped withη3-allyl-Nd moiety during the end of polymerization,which shows very poor reactivity with nucleophile compounds.We launched a new diene polymerization strategy calling coordinative chain transfer polymerization(CCTP)[1].In such a system,all the polydienyl chains are capped withη1-allyl-Al moieties,which reveal greater reactivity with cyclic esters and epoxide compounds,providing an effective manner to prepare polydiene-polyester amphiphilic block copolymers.Inspired by such findings,we now show herein how such types of chain-ends react with isot-hiocyanate to demonstrate an efficient in-situ manner to access end-functionalized polydienes by using CCTP.

Influence of external nitrogen-containing donors on polymerization behavior of neodymium-based cis-1,4-polybutadiene rubber

Neodymium(Nd)-based catalyst in butadiene(Bd)polymerization has drawn interests due to its availability in affording higher cis-1,4-unit selectivity than transition metal(Ti,Co,Ni,etc.)-based catalysts[1-2].Such outstanding high cis-1,4-unit selecti-vity is hypothetically originated from the presence of 4 f orbitals,that can participate in monomer coordination and thereby govern subsequent enchainment manners.This unique characteristic also renders the active species highly susceptible to Lewis bases,and may impact the overall selectivity as well as polyme-rization behavior after coordination.Nevertheless,it is still a virgin area in such a field,and the influence of Lewis bases on Nd-based diene polymerizations is still a black box.Based on this consideration,how nitrogen-containing donors(D)impacts the overall behaviors of Nd-mediated Bd polymerizations is disclosed.

From small to large-The application of in situ polymerization within tumor cells

The“laboratory”of cells has the capacity to polymerize monosaccharides,amino acids,and nucleotides.Tumor cells,characterized by the overexpression of multi-ple enzymes and existing in a slightly acidic and highly redox-potent environment,have attracted the attention of chemists aiming to transfer chemical reactions from the traditional laboratoryflask to this“cellular laboratory”.Polymers,resulting from the repetitive linkage of monomers,have garnered extensive utility in the biomed-icalfield due to their diverse structural and physicochemical properties.When the polymerization reaction proceeds in situ within the tumor cells,this in situ trans-formation from small-to-large combines the rapid uptake of monomeric molecules with the strong retention ability of polymers,exerting a profound impact on drug delivery within tumors.Moreover,it shows promising applications in the regulation of cell behavior,imaging,therapy,and theranostics.Given the diverse functions of in situ polymerization in relation to tumor cells,this review focuses on a comprehen-sive examination of various strategies for in situ polymerization within tumor cells,categorizing these strategies based on the formation mechanisms of polymers.The applications in this domain concerning in situ polymerization within tumor cells are also explored.Moreover,a discussion of specific limitations in current research and insights into potential future directions from the authors’perspective are provided.

Nickel catalysts with asymmetric steric hindrance for ethylene polymerization

α-Diimide catalysts have attracted widespread attention due to their unique chain walking characteristics.A series ofα-diimide nickel/palladium catalysts with different electronic effects and steric hindrances were designed and synthesized for olefin polymerization.In this work,we synthesized a series of asymmetricα-diimide nickel complexes with different steric hindrances and used them for ethylene polymerization.These nickel catalysts have high ethylene polymerization activity,up to 6.51×10^(6)g·mol^(−1)·h^(−1),and the prepared polyethylene has a moderate melting point and high molecular weight(up to 38.2×10^(4)g·mol^(−1)),with a branching density distribution between 7 and 94 branches per 1000 carbons.More importantly,the polyethylene prepared by these catalysts exhibits excellent tensile properties,with strain and stress reaching 800%and 30 MPa,respectively.

3D printing encouraging desired in-situ polypyrrole seed-polymerization for ultra-high energy density supercapacitors

The tireless pursuit of supercapacitors with high energy density entails the parallel advancement of wellsuited electrode materials and elaborately engineered architectures.Polypyrrole(PPy)emerges as an exceedingly conductive polymer and a prospective pseudocapacitive materials for supercapacitors,yet the inferior cyclic stability and unpredictable polymerization patterns severely impede its real-world applicability.Here,for the first time,an innovative seed-induced in-situ polymerization assisted 3D printing strategy is proposed to fabricate PPy-reduced graphene oxide/poly(vinylidene difluoride-cohexafluoropropylene)(PVDF-HFP)(PPy-rGO/PH)electrodes with controllable polymerization behavior and exceptional areal mass loading.The preferred active sites uniformly pre-planted on the 3D-printed graphene substrates serve as reliable seeds to induce efficient polypyrrole deposition,achieving an impressive mass loading of 185.6 mg cm^(-2)(particularly 79.2 mg cm^(-2)for polypyrrole)and a superior areal capacitance of 25.2 F cm^(-2)at 2 mA cm^(-2)for a 12-layer electrode.In agreement with theses appealing features,an unprecedented areal energy density of 1.47 mW h cm^(-2)for a symmetrical device is registered,a rarely achieved value for other PPy/rGO-based supercapacitors.This work highlights a promising route to preparing high energy density energy storage modules for real-world applications.

Two-photon polymerization lithography for imaging optics

Optical imaging systems have greatly extended human visual capabilities,enabling the observation and understanding of diverse phenomena.Imaging technologies span a broad spectrum of wavelengths from x-ray to radio frequencies and impact research activities and our daily lives.Traditional glass lenses are fabricated through a series of complex processes,while polymers offer versatility and ease of production.However,modern applications often require complex lens assemblies,driving the need for miniaturization and advanced designs with micro-and nanoscale features to surpass the capabilities of traditional fabrication methods.Three-dimensional(3D)printing,or additive manufacturing,presents a solution to these challenges with benefits of rapid prototyping,customized geometries,and efficient production,particularly suited for miniaturized optical imaging devices.Various 3D printing methods have demonstrated advantages over traditional counterparts,yet challenges remain in achieving nanoscale resolutions.Two-photon polymerization lithography(TPL),a nanoscale 3D printing technique,enables the fabrication of intricate structures beyond the optical diffraction limit via the nonlinear process of two-photon absorption within liquid resin.It offers unprecedented abilities,e.g.alignment-free fabrication,micro-and nanoscale capabilities,and rapid prototyping of almost arbitrary complex 3D nanostructures.In this review,we emphasize the importance of the criteria for optical performance evaluation of imaging devices,discuss material properties relevant to TPL,fabrication techniques,and highlight the application of TPL in optical imaging.As the first panoramic review on this topic,it will equip researchers with foundational knowledge and recent advancements of TPL for imaging optics,promoting a deeper understanding of the field.By leveraging on its high-resolution capability,extensive material range,and true 3D processing,alongside advances in materials,fabrication,and design,we envisage disruptive solutions to current challenges and a promising incorporation of TPL in future optical imaging applications.

Effect of solvent on the initiation mechanism of living anionic polymerization of styrene:A computational study

For living anionic polymerization(LAP),solvent has a great influence on both reaction mechanism and kinetics.In this work,by using the classical butyl lithium-styrene polymerization as a model system,the effect of solvent on the mechanism and kinetics of LAP was revealed through a strategy combining density functional theory(DFT)calculations and kinetic modeling.In terms of mechanism,it is found that the stronger the solvent polarity,the more electrons transfer from initiator to solvent through detailed energy decomposition analysis of electrostatic interactions between initiator and solvent molecules.Furthermore,we also found that the stronger the solvent polarity,the higher the monomer initiation energy barrier and the smaller the initiation rate coefficient.Counterintuitively,initiation is more favorable at lower temperatures based on the calculated results ofΔG_(TS).Finally,the kinetic characteristics in different solvents were further examined by kinetic modeling.It is found that in benzene and n-pentane,the polymerization rate exhibits first-order kinetics.While,slow initiation and fast propagation were observed in tetrahydrofuran(THF)due to the slow free ion formation rate,leading to a deviation from first-order kinetics.

Synthesis of Branched Polyethylene via Bulky α-Diimine Nickel(II)-Catalyzed Ethylene Chain-Walking Polymerization

The catalysis of olefin polymerization through the chain-walking process is a subject of great interest. In this contribution, the successful synthesis of a Brookhart-type unsymmetrical α-diimine nickel catalyst Ni, which contains both dibenzhydryl and phenyl groups, was determined by X-ray crystallography. The compound has a pseudo-tetrahedral geometry at the Ni center, showing pseudo-C2-symmetry. Upon activation with modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), Ni1 exhibits high catalytic activity up to 1.02 × 107 g PE (mol Ni h)−1 toward ethylene polymerization, enabling the synthesis of high molecular weight branched polyethylene. The molecular weights and branching densities could be tuned over a very wide range. The polymerization results indicated the possibility of precise microstructure control, depending on the polymerization temperature. The branching densities were decreased with increasing the polymerization temperature.

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly Styrene-Co-Poly 2-Hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) Copolymer and an Investigation of Free-Radical Copolymerization Propagation Kinetics by Solvent Effects

A series of homo and copolymers of styrene (ST) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) in three different media (bulk, tetrahydrofuran, and benzene) have been investigated by free radical polymerization method. The samples obtained from the synthesis were characterized by Fourier Transform-Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that the synthesis of the polymers is more feasible under neat conditions rather than solvent directed reaction. Moreover, the DSC data shows that the polystyrene obtained is amorphous in nature and therefore displayed only a glass transition signal rather than crystallization and melting peaks. In addition, this study indicates that homolopolymerization of styrene via free radical polymerization tends to be preferable in less polar solvents like THF than in non-polar solvents like benzene. Benzene might destabilize the formation of the reactive radicals leading to the formation of the products. In summary, the homolpolymerization of styrene is more feasible than the homopolymerization 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate under the experimental setup used. Styrene is more reactive than 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate than free radical polymerization reaction due in part of the generation of the benzylic radical intermediate which is more stable leading to the formation of products than alkyl radical which are less stable. Furthermore, polymerization of styrene under neat conditions is preferable in solvent-assisted environments. The choice of solvent for the synthesis of these polymers is crucial and therefore the selection of solvent that leads to the formation of a more stable reaction intermediate is more favorable. It is worth noting that the structure of the proposed copolymer consists of a highly polar and hydrophilic monomer, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and a highly non-polar and hydrophobic monomer, styrene. These functionalities constitute an amphiphilic copolymer with diverse characteristics. A plausible explanation underlying our observations is that the reaction conditions employed in the synthesis of these copolymers might not be the right route required under free radical polymerization.

Cationic Ring Opening Polymerization of Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane Initiated by Acid Treated Bentonite

Cationic ring opening polymerization of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane （Da） initiated by acid treated bentonite was investigated. The experimental conditions were chosen on the basis of preliminary experiments.Higher temperature was found beneficial for the reaction process while stirring intensity beyond a certain level showed no obvious effect on the reaction rate. Polymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, proton nuclear magnetic resonance （IH-NMR） and gel perneation chromotography. The width of molecular mass distribution was found ranging between 1.2 and 1.4, which is extraordinarlly narrow compared with that of cationic polymerizations reported elsewhere （〉 1.9）. The results were believed due to the absence of free proton and counter ion which simplifies the polymerization process and the huge steric hindrance provided by bentonite particles which keeps the propagation of polysiloxane onto the surface of bentonite particles in a much more regular way. A feasible mechanism is proposed and seems to be supported well by experiments. Additionally, from the results of α, ω-dihydrogen terminated polysiloxanes prepared, the possibility of applying this potential environmentally friendly heterogeneous catalyst in industrial polymerization of cyclosiloxanes is anticipated.

CATIONIC POLYMERIZATION OF ISOBUTYLENE COINITIATED BY AICI_3 IN THE PRESENCE OF ETHYL BENZOATE

The cationic polymerizations of isobutylene （IB） coinitiated by AlCl3 were carried out in solvent mixture of nhexane/methylene dichloride （n-hex/CH2Cl2） of 60/40 V/V in the presence of ethyl benzoate （EB） at various temperatures range from -80℃ to -30℃. The effects of EB concentration （[EB]） and polymerization temperature on monomer conversion, weight-average molecular weight （Mw） and molecular weight distribution （MWD, Mw/Mn） of polyisobutylene （PIB） products were investigated. The rate of polymerization decreased while Mw of PIB products increased with increasing [EB]. The polymers with high molecular weight could be prepared in the presence of a suitable amount of EB. Significantly, the polymers with high Mw of 80.2 × 10^4 and 65.4 × 10^4 could be produced at -80℃ and -70℃ at [EB] = 0.24 × 10^3 mol/L respectively, which were much higher than that （Mw = 57.9 × 10^4） of PIB prepared at -100℃ in the absence ofEB. A simple but effective method for preparing the high molecular weight polyisobutylenes was developed in this work. It has been also found that the activation energy for propagation （Ep） depended on the polymerization temperature range in the presence of EB. An obvious inflection of the linear plots of lnXn versus 1/Tp occurred at the temperature range from -60℃ to -50℃ at four different concentrations of EB from 0.19 × 10^3 mol/L to 0.33× 10^3 tool/L, and thus the inflection temperature （Tinf） was in the range of -60℃ to -50℃. When [EB] was in the range of 0.24 × 10^3 mol/L to 0.33× 10^3 mol/L, Ep was determined to be around -12 kJ/mol when the polymerization was carried out at temperatures from -80℃ to Tinf and to be around -28 kJ/mol at temperatures from Tinf to -15℃ respectively.

SYNTHESIS OF POLYISOBUTYLENE WITH SEC-ARYLAMINO TERMINAL GROUP BY COMBINATION OF CATIONIC POLYMERIZATION WITH ALKYLATION

The highly reactive polyisobutylenes(PIBs) withα-double bonds(87.5 mol%) or tert-chloro(tert-Cl) groups(95 mol%) could be prepared via the cationic polymerization of isobutylene(IB) coinitiated by BF_3 or TiCl_4 respectively.The Friedel-Crafts alkylation of diphenylamine(DPA) with the highly reactive PIB withα-double bonds was further conducted under different conditions,such as at different alkylation temperature,in the mixed solvents of CH_2Cl_2/n-hexane with different solvent polarity and at DPA concentr...

Cationic ring-opening polymerization of 3,3-bis(chloromethyl)oxacyclobutane in ionic liquids

Cationic ring-opening polymerization of 3,3-bis（chloromethyl）oxacyclobutane catalyzed by BF3.OEt2 was carded out in ionic liquids [bmim]BF4 and [bmim]PF6. The influences of BCMO concentration and molar ratio of BCMO/BF3.OEt2 on the molecular weights and yield of PBCMO were investigated. The polymerization in ionic liquids proceed to high conversions, although molecular weights are limited, similar to polymerization in organic solvent such as CH2Cl2. Follow a viewpoint of green chemistry, we feel ionic liquid [bmim]BF4 is superior to [bmim]PF6. Extracting [bmim]PF6 from the product using organic solvent as extractant limits its advantage as a green reaction media.

CATIONIC RING-OPENING POLYMERIZATION OF TETRAHYDROFURAN WITH KEGGIN-TYPE HETEROPOLYCOMPOUNDS AS SOLID ACID CATALYSTS

Three Keggin-type heteropolyanions, namely H3PMo12O40-13H2O, （NH4）3PMo12O40·4H2O and H3PW12O40·13H2O were prepared and tested in the ring-opening polymerization reaction of tetrahydrofuran. The effects of the counter-cation （H＋, NH4＋） and the peripheral atoms （Mo, W） on the polymerization were investigated. It has been found that when the protons of H3PMo12O40·13H2O were replaced by the ammonium cations the polymerization rate decreased dramatically. Whereas, when the peripheral atoms （Mo） were replaced by their homologous （W）, the polymerization rate increased twofold. As for the viscosity average molecular weight （My） of polymer products, it was found that the high molecular weight （7930） was obtained by using H3PW12O40·13H2O. The molecular weight （My） obtained by H3PMo12O40·13H2O and （NH4）H3PMo12O40·13H2O was 6470 and 6810, respectively.

Synthesis and Characterization of Star-branched Polyisobutylene by Combination of Anionic Polymerization and Cationic Polymerization

A star-shaped multifunctional styrene-isoprene copolymer was synthesized with n-BuLi as initiator, divinyl benzene as coupling agent, cyclobexane as solvent by living anionic polymerization. Using this polymer as grafting agent, a novel star-shaped branched polymer, containing several polyisobutylene, was prepared via cationic ~aolymerization. The star PS-b-PI and star-branched polyisobutylene were characterized by GPC, ＇HNMR and FT-IR, and the effects of different adding order and the amount of grafting agent were investigated.