Bacterial Cellulose/Zwitterionic Dual-network Porous Gel Polymer Electrolytes with High Ionic Conductivity

Bacterial cellulose(BC)was innovatively combined with zwitterionic copolymer acrylamide and sulfobetaine methacrylic acid ester[P(AM-co-SBMA)]to build a dual-network porous structure gel polymer electrolytes(GPEs)with high ionic conductivity.The dual network structure BC/P(AM-co-SBMA)gels were formed by a simple one-step polymerization method.The results show that ionic conductivity of BC/P(AM-co-SBMA)GPEs at the room temperature are 3.2×10^(-2) S/cm@1 M H_(2)SO_(4),4.5×10^(-2) S/cm@4 M KOH,and 3.6×10^(-2) S/cm@1 M NaCl,respectively.Using active carbon(AC)as the electrodes,BC/P(AM-co-SBMA)GPEs as both separator and electrolyte matrix,and 4 M KOH as the electrolyte,a symmetric solid supercapacitors(SSC)(AC-GPE-KOH)was assembled and testified.The specific capacitance of AC electrode is 173 F/g and remains 95.0%of the initial value after 5000 cycles and 86.2%after 10,000 cycles.

Polymer dispersed ionic liquid electrolytes with high ionic conductivity for ultrastable solid-state lithium batteries

Solid polymer electrolytes(SPEs)have emerged as one of the most promising candidates for building solid-state lithium batteries due to their excellent flexibility,scalability,and interfacial compatibility with electrodes.However,the low ionic conductivity and poor cyclic stability of SPEs do not meet the requirements for practical applications of lithium batteries.Here,a novel polymer dispersed ionic liquid-based solid polymer electrolyte(PDIL-SPE)is fabricated using the in situ polymerization-induced phase separation(PIPS)method.The as-prepared PDIL-SPE possesses both outstanding ionic conductivity(0.74 mS cm^(-1) at 25℃)and a wide electrochemical window(up to 4.86 V),and the formed unique three-dimensional(3D)co-continuous structure of polymer matrix and ionic liquid in PDIL-SPE can promote the transport of lithium ions.Also,the 3D co-continuous structure of PDIL-SPE effectively accommodates the severe volume expansion for prolonged lithium plating and stripping processes over 1000 h at 0.5 mA cm^(-2) under 25℃.Moreover,the LiFePO_(4)//Li coin cell can work stably over 150 cycles at a 1 C rate under room temperature with a capacity retention of 90.6%from 111.1 to 100.7 mAh g^(-1).The PDIL-SPE composite is a promising material system for enabling the ultrastable operation of solid-state lithium-metal batteries.

3D spiny AlF_(3)/Mullite heterostructure nanofiber as solid-state polymer electrolyte fillers with enhanced ionic conductivity and improved interfacial compatibility

Lithium metal batteries assembled with solid-state electrolyte can offer high safety and volumetric energy density compared to liquid electrolyte.The polymer solid-state electrolytes of poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO)are widely used in lithium metal solid-state batteries due to their unique properties.However,there are still some defects such as low ionic conductivity at room temperature and weak inhibition of lithium dendrite growth.Herein,the spiny inorganic nanofibers heterostructure with mullite whiskers grown on the surface of aluminum fluoride(AlF_(3))nanofibers are introduced into the PEOLi TFSI electrolytes for the first time to prepare composite solid-state electrolytes.The AlF_(3)as a strong Lewis acid can adsorb anions and promote the dissociation of Li salts.Besides,the specially threedimensional(3D)structure enlarges the effective contacting interface with the PEO polymer,which allows the lithium ions to be transported not only along the large aspect ratio of AlF3nanofibers,but also along the mullite phase in the transmembrane direction rapidly.Thereby,the transport channel of lithium ions at the spiny inorganic nanofibers-polymer interface is further improved.Benefiting from these advantages,the obtained composite solid-state electrolyte has a high ionic conductivity of 1.58×10^(-4)S cm^(-1)at 30℃and the lithium ions transfer number of 0.53.In addition,the AlF3has strong binding energy with anions,low electronic conductivity and wide electrochemical stability window,and reduced nucleation overpotential of lithium during cycling,which is positive for lithium dendrite suppression in solid-state electrolytes.Thus,the assembled symmetric Li/Li symmetric batteries exhibit stable cycling performance at different area capacities of 0.15,0.2,0.3 and 0.4 m A h cm^(-2).More importantly,the LiFePO_(4)(LFP)/Li battery still has 113.5 m A h g-1remaining after 400 cycles at 50℃and the Coulomb efficiency is nearly 100%during the long cycle.Overall,the interconnected structure of 3D spiny inorganic heterostructure nanofiber constitutes fast and uninterrupted lithium ions transport channels,maximizing the synergistic effect of interfacial transport of inorganic fillers and reducing PEO crystallinity,thus providing a novel approach to high performance solid-state electrolytes.

Alkali Ionic Conductivity in Inorganic Glassy Electrolytes

Glassy electrolytes could be a potential candidate for all-solid-state batteries that are considered new-generation energy storage devices. As glasses are one of the potential fast ion-conducting electrolytes, progressive advances in glassy electrolytes have been undergoing to get commercial attention. However, the challenges offered by ionic conductivity at room temperature (10−5 - 10−3 S∙cm−1) in comparison to those of organic liquid electrolytes (10−2 S∙cm−1) hindered the applicability of such electrolytes. To enhance the research development on ionic conductivity, the overall picture of the ionic conductivity of glassy electrolytes is reviewed in this article with a focus on alkali oxide and sulfide glasses. We portray here the techniques applied for alkali ion conductivity enhancement, such as methods of glass preparation, host optimization, doping, and salt addition for enhancing alkali ionic conductivity in the glasses.

Li-richening strategy in Li_(2)ZrCl_(6) lattice towards enhanced ionic conductivity

All-solid-state Li batteries(ASSLBs) with solid-state electrolytes(SSEs) are exciting candidates for nextgeneration energy storage and receive considerable attention owing to their reliability. Halide SSEs are promising candidates due to their excellent stability against 4 V-class layered cathodes. Compared with Li3InCl6or Li_(3)ScCl_(6), the low ionic conductivity of Li_(2)ZrCl_(6)(LZC) is a challenge despite its low raw-material cost. Herein, we report a family of Li-Richened chloride, Li_(2+2x)Zr_(1–x)MxCl_(6), which can be used in highperformance ASSLBs owing to its high ionic conductivity(up to 0.62 mS cm^(-1)). The theoretical(ab initio molecular dynamics simulations) and experimental results prove that the strategy of aliovalent substitution with divalent metals to obtain Li-Richened LZC is effective in improving Li^(+)conductivity in SSEs. By combining Li_(2.1)Zr_(0.95)Mg_(0.05)Cl_(6)(Mg5-LZC) with a Li–In anode and a LiCoO_(2)cathode, a room-temperature ASSLBs with excellent long-term cycling stability(88% capacity retention at 0.3C for 100 cycles) and highrate capability(121 m A h g^(-1)at 1C) is reported. This exploratory work sheds light on improving the Li^(+)conductivity of low-cost LZC-family SSEs for constructing high performance ASSLBs.

A Modification of LiMn2O4 by Ionic Conductive Agent and Electronic Conductive Agent Coating

Carbon was used as electronic conductive agent, and metasilicic acid lithium (Li2SiO3) as ionic conductive agent, the two factors were investigated cooperatively. We evaluated their effect by using spherical spinel LiMn2O4 which prepared ourselves as cathode material. Then Li2SiO3/carbon surface coating on LiMn2O4 (LMO/C/LSO) which Li2SiO3 inside and carbon/Li2SiO3 coated LiMn2O4 (LMO/LSO/C) were prepared, All of materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electrochemical test;spherical LiMn2O4 was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM);and coated materials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). While uncoated spinel LiMn2O4 maintained 72% of capacity in 60 cycles by the rate of 0.2C, and LMO/LSO/C showed the best electrochemical performance, 89% of the initial capacity remained after 75 cycles at 0.2C. Furthermore, the rate performance of LMO/LSO/C also improved obviously, about 30 mAh·g-1 of capacity attained at the rate of 5C, higher than LMO/C/LSO and bare LiMn2O4.

Wetting sub-nanochannels via ionic hydration effect for improving charging dynamics

The ionic transport in sub-nanochannels plays a key role in energy storage,yet suffers from a high energy barrier.Wetting sub-nanochannels is crucial to accelerate ionic transport,but the introduction of water is challenging because of the hydrophobic extreme confinement.We propose wetting the channels by the exothermic hydration process of pre-intercalated ions,the effect of which varies distinctly with different ionic hydration structures and energies.Compared to the failed pre-intercalation of SO_(4)^(2-),HSO_(4)^(-) with weak hydration energy results in a marginal effect on the HOMO(Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital)level of water to avoid water splitting during the electrochemical intercalation.Meanwhile,the ability of water introduction is reserved by the initial incomplete dissociation state of HSO_(4)^(-),so the consequent exothermic reionization and hydration processes of the intercalated HSO_(4)^(-) promote the water introduction into sub-nanochannels,finally forming the stable confined water through hydrogen bonding with functional groups.The wetted channels exhibit a significantly enhanced ionic diffusion coef-ficient by~9.4 times.

Enhanced conductivity and weakened magnetism in Pb-doped Sr_(2)IrO_(4)

Group IV element Pb has been selected as the dopant to dope at the Sr site of Sr_(2)IrO_(4). It is exciting to find that the single-phase crystal structure could be maintained with a high Pb doping level of up to x=0.3 in Sr_(2-x)Pb_(x)IrO_(4). The mapping data obtained from energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analyses give solid evidence that the Pb ions are uniformly distributed in the Sr_(2)IrO_(4) matrix. The incorporation of Pb leads to a moderate depression of the canted antiferromagnetic ordering state. The electrical conductivity could be greatly enhanced when the Pb doping content is higher than x=0.2.The present results give a fresh material base to explore new physics in doped Sr_(2)IrO_(4) systems.

Evolution of Superconducting-Transition Temperature with Superfluid Density and Conductivity in Pressurized Cuprate Superconductors

What factors fundamentally determine the value of superconducting transition temperature Tc in high temperature superconductors has been the subject of intense debate.Following the establishment of an empirical law known as Homes'law,there is a growing consensus in the community that the Tc value of the cuprate superconductors is closely linked to the superfluid density(ρ_(s))of its ground state and the conductivity(σ)of its normal state.However,all the data supporting this empirical law(ρ_(s)=AσT_(c))have been obtained from the ambientpressure superconductors.In this study,we present the first high-pressure results about the connection of the quantities of ρ_(s) and σ with T_(c),through the studies on the Bi_(1.74)Pb_(0.38)Sr_(1.88)CuO_(6+δ)and Bi_(2)Sr_(2)CaCu_(2)O_(8+δ),in which the value of their high-pressure resistivity(ρ=1/σ)is achieved by adopting our newly established method,while the quantity ofρs is extracted using Homes'law.We highlight that the Tc values are strongly linked to the joint response factors of magnetic field and electric field,i.e.,ρ_(s) and σ,respectively,implying that the physics determining T_(c) is governed by the intrinsic electromagnetic fields of the system.

Ionic liquid-assisted preparation of hydroxyapatite and its catalytic performance for decarboxylation of itaconic acid

The synthesis of methacrylic acid from biomass-derived itaconic acid is a green route,for it can get rid of the dependence on fossil resource.In order to solve the problems on this route such as use of a preciousmetal catalyst and a corrosive homogeneous alkali,we prepared a series of hydroxyapatite catalysts by an ionic liquid-assisted hydrothermal method and evaluated their catalytic performance.The results showed that the ionic liquid[Bmim]BF_(4) can affect the crystal growth of hydroxyapatite,provide fluoride ion for fluorination of hydroxyapatite,and adjust the surface acidity and basicity,morphology,textural properties,crystallinity,and composition of hydroxyapatite.The[Bmim]BF4 dosage and hydrothermal temperature can affect the fluoride ion concentration in the hydrothermal system,thus changing the degree of fluoridation of hydroxyapatite.High fluoride-ion concentration can lead to the formation of CaF_(2) and thus significantly decrease the catalytic performance of hydroxyapatite.The hydrothermal time mainly affects the growth of hydroxyapatite crystals on the c axis,leading to different catalytic performance.The suitable conditions for the preparation of this fluoridized hydroxyapatite are as follows:a mass ratio of[Bmim]BF4 to calcium salt=0.2:1,a hydrothermal time of 12 h,and a hydrothermal temperature of 130℃.A maximal methacrylic acid yield of 54.7%was obtained using the fluoridized hydroxyapatite under relatively mild reaction conditions(250℃ and 2 MPa of N_(2))in the absence of a precious-metal catalyst and a corrosive homogeneous alkali.

Highly selective extraction of aromatics from aliphatics by using metal chloride-based ionic liquids

The separation of aromatics from aliphatics is essential for achieving maximum exploitation of oil resources in the petrochemical industry.In this study,a series of metal chloride-based ionic liquids were prepared and their performances in the separation of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene(tetralin)/dodecane and tetralin/decalin systems were studied.Among these ionic liquids,1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate([EMIM][FeCl_(4)])with the highest selectivity was used as the extractant.Density functional theory calculations showed that[EMIM][FeCl_(4)]interacted more strongly with tetralin than with dodecane and decalin.Energy decomposition analysis of[EMIM][FeCl_(4)]-tetralin indicated that electrostatics and dispersion played essential roles,and induction cannot be neglected.The van der Waals forces was a main effect in[EMIM][FeCl_(4)]-tetralin by independent gradient model analysis.The tetralin distribution coefficient and selectivity were 0.8 and 110,respectively,with 10%(mol)tetralin in the initial tetralin/dodecane system,and 0.67 and 19.5,respectively,with 10%(mol)tetralin in the initial tetralin/decalin system.The selectivity increased with decreasing alkyl chain length of the extractant.The influence of the extraction temperature,extractant dosage,and initial concentrations of the system components on the separation performance were studied.Recycling experiments showed that the regenerated[EMIM][FeCl_(4)]could be used repeatedly.

Interfacial friction induced capillary flow within nanofiber-supported ionic liquid droplets

As global economic growth increases,the demand for energy sources boosts.While fossil fuels have traditionally satisfied this demand,their environmental influence and limited reserves require alternatives.Fossil fuel combustion contributes substantially to greenhouse gas emissions,with a pressing need to halve these emissions by 2030 and target net-zero by 2050.Renewable energy sources,contributing currently to 29%of global electricity,are viewed as promising substitutes.With wind energy's potential,Zheng's team developed a novel method to harness even low wind speeds using well-aligned nanofibers and an innovative“drop wind generator”.This system,combining moisture-saturated ionic liquid 3-Methyl-1-octylimidazolium chloride with specific nanofiber arrays,exploits wind-inducedflows for energy conversion.This study highlights the vast untapped potential of low-speed wind as a sustainable energy source potentially for electronics.

Experimental study of the effect of gas discharge on ionic liquid electrospray

Ionic liquid electrospray(ILE) in an atmospheric environment is often accompanied by the gas discharge phenomenon. It interferes with the normal operation of the electrospray and the measurement of experimental parameters. In this study, electrospray experiments were conducted on the ionic liquid EMI-BF4. The observations revealed that the operating modes of the ionic liquid depend on the voltage polarity at high voltages. Additionally, a correspondence between the operating mode of ILE and the current signal in the circuit was established. The shape of the liquid cone formed at the needle tip bore a striking resemblance to the plume of corona discharge, suggesting that the motion trajectory of electrons influenced the curvature of the liquid cone. Steamer theory provided a clear explanation for the change in curvature as the voltage increased.

Ionically Imprinting-Based Copper(Ⅱ)Label-Free Detection for Preventing Hearing Loss

Copper is a microelement with important physiological functions in the body.However,the excess copper ion(Cu^(2+))may cause severe health problems,such as hair cell apoptosis and the resultant hearing loss.Therefore,the assay of Cu^(2+)is important.We integrate ionic imprinting technology(IIT)and structurally colored hydrogel beads to prepare chitosan-based ionically imprinted hydrogel beads(IIHBs)as a low-cost and high-specificity platform for Cu^(2+)detection.The IIHBs have a macroporous microstructure,uniform size,vivid structural color,and magnetic responsiveness.When incubated in solution,IIHBs recognize Cu^(2+)and exhibit a reflective peak change,thereby achieving label-free detection.In addition,benefiting from the IIT,the IIHBs display good specificity and selectivity and have an imprinting factor of 19.14 at 100μmol·L^(-1).These features indicated that the developed IIHBs are promising candidates for Cu^(2+)detection,particularly for the prevention of hearing loss.

Ionic Liquid-Enhanced Assembly of Nanomaterials for Highly Stable Flexible Transparent Electrodes

The controlled assembly of nanomaterials has demon-strated significant potential in advancing technological devices.However,achieving highly efficient and low-loss assembly technique for nanomate-rials,enabling the creation of hierarchical structures with distinctive func-tionalities,remains a formidable challenge.Here,we present a method for nanomaterial assembly enhanced by ionic liquids,which enables the fabrication of highly stable,flexible,and transparent electrodes featuring an organized layered structure.The utilization of hydrophobic and non-volatile ionic liquids facilitates the production of stable interfaces with water,effectively preventing the sedimentation of 1D/2D nanomaterials assembled at the interface.Furthermore,the interfacially assembled nanomaterial monolayer exhibits an alternate self-climbing behavior,enabling layer-by-layer transfer and the formation of a well-ordered MXene-wrapped silver nanowire network film.The resulting composite film not only demonstrates exceptional photoelectric performance with a sheet resistance of 9.4Ωsq^(-1) and 93%transmittance,but also showcases remarkable environmental stability and mechanical flexibility.Particularly noteworthy is its application in transparent electromagnetic interference shielding materials and triboelectric nanogenerator devices.This research introduces an innovative approach to manufacture and tailor functional devices based on ordered nanomaterials.

Structure and ion transport properties of organic ionic compounds revealed by NMR

Organic ionic plastic crystals(OIPCs)are emerging as an important material family for solid-state electrolytes and many other applications.They have significant advantages over conventional electrolyte materials,such as high ionic conductivity,non-flammability,and plasticity.Various nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectroscopy techniques including solid-state NMR,pulsed-field gradient(PFG)NMR,and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)etc.,provide us a versatile toolkit to understand the fundamental level structures,molecular dynamics,and ionic interactions in these materials.This article reviews the commonly used NMR methods including solid-and solution-state NMR,PFG-NMR,dynamic nuclear polarization(DNP)and the application of these methods in revealing the microscopic level structures and ion-transport mechanisms in OIPC materials.

Solvent effects on Diels-Alder reaction in ionic liquids:A reaction density functional study

Extensive experimental studies have been performed on the Diels-Alder(DA)reactions in ionic liquids(ILs),which demonstrate that the IL environment can significantly influence the reaction rates and selectivity.However,the underlying microscopic mechanism remains ambiguous.In this work,the multiscale reaction density functional theory is applied to explore the effect of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate([BMIM][PF_(6)])solvent on the reaction of cyclopentadiene(CP)with acrolein,methyl acrylate,or acrylonitrile.By analyzing the free energy landscape during the reaction,it is found that the polarization effect has a relatively small influence,while the solvation effect makes both the activation free energy and reaction free energy decrease.In addition,the rearrangement of local solvent structure shows that the cation spatial distribution responds more evidently to the reaction than the anion,and this indicates that the cation plays a dominant role in the solvation effect and so as to affect the reaction rates and selectivity of the DA reactions.

Fluorescent Double Network Hydrogels with Ionic Responsiveness and High Mechanical Properties for Visual Detection

We developed a fluorescent double network hydrogel with ionic responsiveness and high mechanical properties for visual detection.The nanocomposite hydrogel of laponite and polyacrylamide serves as the first network,while the ionic cross-linked hydrogel of terbium ions and sodium alginate serves as the second network.The double-network structure,the introduction of nanoparticles and the reversible ionic crosslinked interactions confer high mechanical properties to the hydrogel.Terbium ions are not only used as the ionic cross-linked points,but also used as green emitters to endow hydrogels with fluorescent properties.On the basis of the “antenna effect” of terbium ions and the ion exchange interaction,the fluorescence of the hydrogels can make selective responses to various ions(such as organic acid radical ions,transition metal ions) in aqueous solutions,which enables a convenient strategy for visual detection toward ions.Consequently,the fluorescent double network hydrogel fabricated in this study is promising for use in the field of visual sensor detection.

Thermal conductivity of GeTe crystals based on machine learning potentials

GeTe has attracted extensive research interest for thermoelectric applications.In this paper,we first train a neuroevolution potential(NEP)based on a dataset constructed by ab initio molecular dynamics,with the Gaussian approximation potential(GAP)as a reference.The phonon density of states is then calculated by two machine learning potentials and compared with density functional theory results,with the GAP potential having higher accuracy.Next,the thermal conductivity of a GeTe crystal at 300 K is calculated by the equilibrium molecular dynamics method using both machine learning potentials,and both of them are in good agreement with the experimental results;however,the calculation speed when using the NEP potential is about 500 times faster than when using the GAP potential.Finally,the lattice thermal conductivity in the range of 300 K-600 K is calculated using the NEP potential.The lattice thermal conductivity decreases as the temperature increases due to the phonon anharmonic effect.This study provides a theoretical tool for the study of the thermal conductivity of GeTe.

Prediction of the thermal conductivity of Mg–Al–La alloys by CALPHAD method

Mg-Al alloys have excellent strength and ductility but relatively low thermal conductivity due to Al addition.The accurate prediction of thermal conductivity is a prerequisite for designing Mg-Al alloys with high thermal conductivity.Thus,databases for predicting temperature-and composition-dependent thermal conductivities must be established.In this study,Mg-Al-La alloys with different contents of Al2La,Al3La,and Al11La3phases and solid solubility of Al in the α-Mg phase were designed.The influence of the second phase(s) and Al solid solubility on thermal conductivity was investigated.Experimental results revealed a second phase transformation from Al_(2)La to Al_(3)La and further to Al_(11)La_(3)with the increasing Al content at a constant La amount.The degree of the negative effect of the second phase(s) on thermal diffusivity followed the sequence of Al2La>Al3La>Al_(11)La_(3).Compared with the second phase,an increase in the solid solubility of Al in α-Mg remarkably reduced the thermal conductivity.On the basis of the experimental data,a database of the reciprocal thermal diffusivity of the Mg-Al-La system was established by calculation of the phase diagram (CALPHAD)method.With a standard error of±1.2 W/(m·K),the predicted results were in good agreement with the experimental data.The established database can be used to design Mg-Al alloys with high thermal conductivity and provide valuable guidance for expanding their application prospects.