Dual-single-atoms of Pt-Co boost sulfur redox kinetics for ultrafast Li-S batteries

Applications of lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries are still limited by the sluggish conversion kinetics from polysulfide to Li_(2)S.Although various single-atom catalysts are available for improving the conversion kinetics,the sulfur redox kinetics for Li-S batteries is still not ultrafast.Herein,in this work,a catalyst with dual-single-atom Pt-Co embedded in N-doped carbon nanotubes(Pt&Co@NCNT)was proposed by the atomic layer deposition method to suppress the shuttle effect and synergistically improve the interconversion kinetics from polysulfides to Li_(2)S.The X-ray absorption near edge curves indicated the reversible conversion of Li_(2)Sx on the S/Pt&Co@NCNT electrode.Meanwhile,density functional theory demonstrated that the Pt&Co@NCNT promoted the free energy of the phase transition of sulfur species and reduced the oxidative decomposition energy of Li_(2)S.As a result,the batteries assembled with S/Pt&Co@NCNT electrodes exhibited a high capacity retention of 80%at 100 cycles at a current density of 1.3 mA cm^(−2)(S loading:2.5 mg cm^(−2)).More importantly,an excellent rate performance was achieved with a high capacity of 822.1 mAh g^(−1) at a high current density of 12.7 mA cm^(−2).This work opens a new direction to boost the sulfur redox kinetics for ultrafast Li-S batteries.

Exploring the relationship between ambient sulfur dioxide and semen quality parameters:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective:To investigate the relationship between ambient sulfur dioxide(SO2)exposure and semen quality parameters.Methods:A systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies investigating the association between SO2 exposure and semen quality parameters.This search encompassed the timeframe from January 2000 to May 2023 and included electronic databases such as Web of Science,Google Scholar,PubMed,Cochrane,and Scopus.Pooled effect estimates with 95%confidence intervals(CI)were calculated using percent changes(PC).The meta-analysis included seven studies with 6711 participants and 15087 semen samples.Results:The results revealed a significant negative association between ambient SO2 exposure and certain semen quality parameters.In particular,SO2 exposure was associated with a significant decrease in progressive motility(PC=0.032;95%CI:-0.063 to-0.001;P=0.044)and sperm concentration(PC=-0.020;95%CI:-0.036 to-0.005;P=0.012).However,no statistically significant associations were observed for total sperm count(PC=-0.038;95%CI:-0.079 to 0.003;P=0.070),seminal fluid volume(PC=-0.009;95%CI:-0.048 to-0.030;P=0.662)and sperm motility(PC=-0.17;95%CI:-0.363 to 0.022;P=0.830).In addition,the results of the subgroup analysis revealed specific variables that were associated with the decrease in relevant sperm parameters.Conclusions:This systematic review and meta-analysis provides compelling evidence supporting a consistent negative association between exposure to ambient SO2 and semen quality parameters.

Research progress on catalysts for organic sulfur hydrolysis: Review of activity and stability

The removal of organic sulfur through catalytic hydrolysis is a significant area of research in the field of desulfurization.This review provides an overview of recent advancements in catalytic hydrolysis technology of organic sulfur,including the activity,stability,and atmosphere effects of hydrolysis catalysts.The emphasis is on strategies for enhancing hydrolysis activity and anti-oxygen poisoning property of catalysts.Surface modification,metal doping and nitrogen doping have been found to improve the activity of catalysts.Alkaline components modification is the most commonly used method,the formation of oxygen vacancies through metal doping and creation of nitrogen basic sites through nitrogen doping also contribute to the hydrolysis of organic sulfur.The strategies for anti-oxygen poisoning are discussed in a systematic manner.The structural regulation of catalysts is beneficial for the desorption and diffusion of hydrogen sulfide(H_(2)S),thereby effectively inhibiting its oxidation.Nitrogen doping and the addition of electronic promoters such as transition metals can protect active sites and decrease the number of active oxygen species.These methods have been proven to enhance the anti-poisoning performance of catalysts.Additionally,this article summarizes how different atmospheres affect the activity of hydrolysis catalysts.The objective of this review is to pave the way for the development of efficient,stable and widely used catalysts for organic sulfur hydrolysis.

A molecular insight into coke formation process of vacuum residue in thermal cracking reaction

Understanding the coking behaviors has been considered to be really essential for developing better vacuum residue processing technologies.A battery of thermal cracking tests of typical vacuum residue at 410℃ with various reaction time were performed to evaluate the coke formation process.The total yields of ideal components including naphtha,atmospheric gas oil(AGO)and vacuum gas oil(VGO)of thermal cracking reactions increased from 10.89%to 40.81%,and the conversion ratios increased from8.05%to 43.33%with increasing the reaction time from 10 to 70 min.The asphaltene content increased from 12.14%to a maximum of 22.39%and then decreased,and this maximum of asphaltene content occurred at the end of the coking induction period.The asphaltenes during the coking induction period,at the end and after coking induction period of those tested thermal cracking reactions were characterized to disclose the structure changing rules for coke formation process,and the coke formation pathways were discussed to reveal the coke formation process at molecular level.

Copper slag assisted coke reduction of phosphogypsum for sulphur dioxide preparation

The reduction of phosphogypsum(PG)to lime slag and SO_(2)using coke can effectively alleviate the environmental problems caused by PG.However,the PG decomposition temperature remains high and the product yield remains poor.By adding additives,the decomposition temperature can be further reduced and PG decomposition rate and product yield can be improved.However,the use of current additives such as Fe_(2)O_(3)and SiO_(2)brings the problem of increasing economic cost.Therefore,it is proposed to use solid waste copper slag(CS)as a new additive to reduce PG to prepare SO2,which can reduce the cost and meet the environmental benefits at the same time.The effects of proportion,temperature and thermostatic time on PG decomposition are investigated by experimental and kinetic analysis combined with FactSage thermodynamic calculations to optimize the roasting conditions.Finally,the reaction mechanism is proposed.It is found that adding CS to the coke and PG system can increase the rate of PG decomposition and SO_(2)yield while lowering the PG decomposition temperature.For example,when the CS/PG mass ratio increases from 0 to 1,PG decomposition rate increases from 83.38%to 99.35%,SO_(2)yield increases from 78.62%to 96.81%,and PG decomposition temperature decreases from 992.4℃to 949.6℃.The optimal reaction parameters are CS/PG mass ratio of 1,Coke/PG mass ratio of 0.06 at 1100℃for 20 min with 99.35%PG decomposition rate and 96.81%SO_(2) yield.The process proceeds according to the following reactions:2CaSO_(4)+ 0.7C + 0.8Fe_(2)SiO_(4)→0.8Ca_(2)SiO_(4)+ 0.2Ca_(2)Fe_(2)O_(5)+ 0.4Fe_(3)O_(4)+2SO_(2)+ 0.7CO_(2)Finally,a process for decomposing PG with coke and CS is proposed.

Density functional theory study of B- and Si-doped carbons and their adsorption interactions with sulfur compounds

Understanding the adsorption interactions between carbon materials and sulfur compounds has far-reaching impacts,in addition to their well-known important role in energy storage and conversion,such as lithium-ion batteries.In this paper,properties of intrinsic B or Si single-atom doped,and B-Si codoped graphene(GR)and graphdiyne(GDY)were investigated by using density functional theory-based calculations,in which the optimal doping configurations were explored for potential applications in adsorbing sulfur compounds.Results showed that both B or Si single-atom doping and B-Si codoping could substantially enhance the electron transport properties of GR and GDY,improving their surface activity.Notably,B and Si atoms displayed synergistic effects for the codoped configurations,where B-Si codoped GR/GDY exhibited much better performance in the adsorption of sulfurcontaining chemicals than single-atom doped systems.In addition,results demonstrated that,after B-Si codoping,the adsorption energy and charge transfer amounts of GDY with sulfur compounds were much larger than those of GR,indicating that B-Si codoped GDY might be a favorable material for more effectively interacting with sulfur reagents.

Effect of samarium doping on the activity and sulfur resistance of Ce/MnFeO_(x) catalyst for low-temperature selective catalytic reduction of NO_(x) by ammonia

The self-made MnFeO_(x) catalysts doped with cerium and samarium were prepared by impregnation method for low-temperature selective catalytic reduction(SCR)by NH3.In this work,the surface properties of the series of MnFe-based catalysts were studied.The results indicate Sm-modified catalyst have superior low-temperature SCR activity;NO_(x) conversion maintained at nearby to 100%at 90℃ to 240℃.In addition,The N_(2) selectivity of Sm doping remains above 80%in the range of 60℃ to 150℃.In SO_(2) poisoning test,the NO_(x) conversion can be remained>90%after 10 h of reaction.The XPS,NH_(3)-TPD and H_(2)-TPR results show the catalyst with Sm doping enhances the acid sites and oxidation catalytic sites of mixed oxides serves for improving oxygen vacancies and transfer electrons.In situ diffuse reflaxions infrared Fourier transformations spectroscopy(DRIFTS)results show that NO_(x) is more easily adsorbed on the surface after Sm doping,which provided favorable conditions for the NH_(3)-SCR reaction to proceed.The reaction at the catalyst surface will follow the L-H reaction mechanism by transient reaction test.

Concurrent hetero-/homo-geneous electrocatalysts to bi-phasically mediate sulfur species for lithium-sulfur batteries

Expediting redox kinetics of sulfur species on conductive scaffolds with limited charge accessible surface is considered as an imperative approach to realize energy-dense and power-intensive lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries.In this work,the concept of concurrent hetero-/homo-geneous electrocatalysts is proposed to simultaneously mediate liquid-solid conversion of lithium polysulfides(LiPSs)and solid lithium disulfide/sulfide(Li_(2)S_(2)/Li_(2)S)propagation,the latter of which suffers from sluggish reduction kinetics due to buried conductive scaffold surface by extensive deposition of Li_(2)S_(2)/Li_(2)S.The selected model material to verify this concept is a two-in-one catalyst:carbon nanotube(CNT)scaffold supported iron-cobalt(Fe-Co)alloy nanoparticles and partially carbonized selenium(C-Se)component.The Fe-Co alloy serves as a heterogeneous electrocatalyst to seed Li_(2)S_(2)/Li_(2)S through sulphifilic active sites,while the C-Se sustainably releases soluble lithium polyselenides and functions as a homogeneous electrocatalyst to propagate Li_(2)S_(2)/Li_(2)S via solution pathways.Such bi-phasic mediation of the sulfur species benefits reduction kinetics of LiPS conversion,especially for the massive Li_(2)S_(2)/Li_(2)S growth scenario by affording an additional solution directed route in case of conductive surface being largely buried.This strategy endows the Li-S batteries with improved cycling stability(836 mA h g^(-1)after 180 cycles),rate capability(547 mA h g^(-1)at 4 C)and high sulfur loading superiority(2.96 mA h cm^(-2)at 2.4 mg cm^(-2)).This work hopes to enlighten the employment of bi-phasic electrocatalysts to dictate liquid-solid transformation of intermediates for conversion chemistry batteries.

Molecular investigation into the transformation of recalcitrant dissolved organic sulfur in refinery sour water during stripping process

Refinery sour water primarily originates from the tops of towers in various units and coker condensate,and cannot be discharged directly to a wastewater treatment plant due to high levels of chemical oxygen demand(COD)and organic sulfur contents.Even after the recovery of H_(2)S from the sour water by the stripping process,the effluent still contains a high concentration of dissolved organic sulfur(DOS),which can have a huge bad influence.While chemical composition of dissolved organic matter(DOM)in refinery wastewater has been extensively studied,the investigation of recalcitrant DOS from sour waters remains unclear.In the present study,chemical composition of sour water DOMs(especially DOS)was investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy(excitation-emission matrix,EEM)and mass spectrometry,including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)and high-resolution Orbitrap MS.The GC-MS and EEM results showed that volatile and low-aromaticity compounds were effectively removed during the stripping process,while compounds with high hydrophilicity and humification degree were found to be more recalcitrant.The Orbitrap MS results showed that weak-polar oxygenated sulfur compounds were easier to be removed than oxygenated compounds.However,the effluent still contained significant amounts of sulfur-containing compounds with multiple sulfur atoms,particularly in the form of highly unsaturated and aromatic compounds.The Orbitrap MS/MS results of CHOS-containing compounds from the effluent indicate that the sulfur atoms may exist as sulfonates,disulfide bonds,thioethers.Understanding the composition and structure of sour water DOS is crucial for the development of effective treatment processes that can target polysulfide compounds and minimize their impact on the environment.

Sulfur vacancies and heterogeneous interfaces promote high performance sodium storage of bimetallic chalcogenide hollow nanospheres

Transition metal sulfides have high theoretical capacities and are considered as potential anode materials for sodium-ion batteries.However,due to low inherent conductivity and significant volume expansion,the electrochemical performance is greatly limited.In this study,a nickel/manganese sulfide material(Ni_(0.96)S_(x)/MnS_(y)-NC)with adjustable sulfur vacancies and heterogeneous hollow spheres was prepared using a simple method.The introduction of a concentration-adjustable sulfur vacancy enables the generation of a heterogeneous interface between bimetallic sulfide and sulfur vacancies.This interface collectively creates an internal electric field,improving the mobility of electrons and ions,increasing the number of electrochemically active sites,and further optimizing the performance of Na~+storage.The direction of electron flow is confirmed by Density functional theory(DFT)calculations.The hollow nano-spherical material provides a buffer for expansion,facilitating rapid transfer kinetics.Our innovative discovery involves the interaction between the ether-based electrolyte and copper foil,leading to the formation of Cu_9S_5,which grafts the active material and copper current collector,reinforcing mechanical supporting.This results in a new heterostructure of Cu_9S_5 with Ni_(0.96)S_(x)/MnS_(y),contributing to the stabilization of structural integrity for long-cycle performance.Therefore,Ni_(0.96)S_(x)/MnS_(y)-NC exhibits excellent electrochemical properties following our modification route.Regarding stability performance,Ni0_(.96)S_(x)/MnS_(y)-NC demonstrates an average decay rate of 0.00944%after 10,000 cycles at an extremely high current density of 10000 mA g^(-1),A full cell with a high capacity of 304.2 mA h g^(-1)was also successfully assembled by using Na_(3)V_(2)(PO_(4))_(3)/C as the cathode.This study explores a novel strategy for interface/vacancy co-modification in the fabrication of high-performance sodium-ion batteries electrode.

Morphological and Sulfur-Isotopic Characteristics of Pyrites in the Deep Sediments from Xisha Trough,South China Sea

Pyrite is one of the common authigenic minerals in marine sediments.Previous studies have shown that the morphological and isotopic characteristics of pyrite are closely related to the geochemical environment where it is formed.To better understand the for-mation mechanism of authigenic pyrite,we analyzed the isotopic composition,morphology,and distribution of pyrite in the sediment at 500m below the seafloor from Xisha Trough,South China Sea.Mineral morphologies were observed by scanning electron micros-copy and Raman spectrography.X-Ray computed tomography was applied to measure the particle size of pyrite.The size of pyrite crystals in the matrix sediment mainly ranged between 25 and 65µm(av.ca.40µm),although crystals were larger(av.ca.50μm)in the veins.The pyrites had a fine-grained truncated octahedral shape with occasionally well-developed growth steps,which implies the low growth rate and weak anaerobic oxidation of methane-sulfate reduction when pyrite was formed.Theδ^(34)S values of pyrites ranged from+20.8‰Vienna-defined Canyon Diablo Troilite(V-CDT)to+33.2‰V-CDT and from+44.8‰V-CDT to+48.9‰,which suggest two growth stages.In the first stage,with the continuous low methane flux,the pyrite possibly formed in an environment with good access to seawater.In the second stage,the pyrites mainly developed in sediment fractures and appeared in veins,probably due to the limited availability of sulfate.The less exposure of pyrite to the environment in the second stage was probably caused by sediment accumulation or perturbation.In this study,an episodic pyritization process was identified,and the paleoenvironment was reconstructed for the sediment investigated.

The effect of glutathione on glucosinolate biosynthesis through the sulfur assimilation pathway in pakchoi associated with the growth conditions

Glucosinolates(GSLs) are a group of nitrogen-and sulfur-containing secondary metabolites, synthesized primarily in members of the Brassicaceae family, that play an important role in food flavor, plant antimicrobial activity, resistance to insect attack, stress tolerance, and human anti-cancer effects. As a sulfur-containing compound, glutathione has a strong connection with GSLs biosynthesis as a sulfur donor or redox system, and exists in reduced(glutathione;GSH) and oxidized(glutathione disulfide;GSSG) forms. However, the mechanism of GSH regulating GSLs biosynthesis remainds unclear. Hence, the exogenous therapy to pakchoi under normal growth condition and sulfur deficiency condition were conducted in this work to explore the relevant mechanism. The results showed that exogenous application of buthionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of GSH synthesis, decreased the transcript levels of GSLs synthesis-related genes and transcription factors, as well as sulfur assimilation-related genes under the normal growth condition. Application of exogenous GSH inhibited the expression of GSLs synthesis-and sulfur assimilation-related genes under the normal condition, while the GSLs biosynthesis and the sulfur assimilation pathway were activated by exogenous application of GSH when the content of GSH in vivo of plants decreased owing to sulfur deficiency. Moreover,exogenous application of GSSG increased the transcript levels of GSLs synthesis-and sulfur assimilation-related genes under the normal growth condition and under sulfur deficiency. The present work provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of GSLs biosynthesis underlying glutathione regulation.

Recovery of Li, Ni, Co and Mn from spent lithium-ion batteries assisted by organic acids: Process optimization and leaching mechanism

The proper recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)can promote the recovery and utilization of valuable resources,while also negative environmental effects resulting from the presence of toxic and hazardous substances.In this study,a new environmentally friendly hydro-metallurgical process was proposed for leaching lithium(Li),nickel(Ni),cobalt(Co),and manganese(Mn)from spent LIBs using sulfuric acid with citric acid as a reductant.The effects of the concentration of sulfuric acid,the leaching temperature,the leaching time,the solid-liquid ratio,and the reducing agent dosage on the leaching behavior of the above elements were investigated.Key parameters were optimized using response surface methodology(RSM)to maximize the recovery of metals from spent LIBs.The maxim-um recovery efficiencies of Li,Ni,Co,and Mn can reach 99.08%,98.76%,98.33%,and 97.63%.under the optimized conditions(the sulfuric acid concentration was 1.16 mol/L,the citric acid dosage was 15wt%,the solid-liquid ratio was 40 g/L,and the temperature was 83℃ for 120 min),respectively.It was found that in the collaborative leaching process of sulfuric acid and citric acid,the citric acid initially provided strong reducing CO_(2)^(-),and the transition metal ions in the high state underwent a reduction reaction to produce transition metal ions in the low state.Additionally,citric acid can also act as a proton donor and chelate with lower-priced transition metal ions,thus speeding up the dissolution process.

Metal-free two-dimensional phosphorene-based electrocatalyst with covalent P-N heterointerfacial reconstruction for electrolyte-lean lithium-sulfur batteries

The use of lithium-sulfur batteries under high sulfur loading and low electrolyte concentrations is severely restricted by the detrimental shuttling behavior of polysulfides and the sluggish kinetics in redox processes.Two-dimensional(2D)few layered black phosphorus with fully exposed atoms and high sulfur affinity can be potential lithium-sulfur battery electrocatalysts,which,however,have limitations of restricted catalytic activity and poor electrochemical/chemical stability.To resolve these issues,we developed a multifunctional metal-free catalyst by covalently bonding few layered black phosphorus nanosheets with nitrogen-doped carbon-coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes(denoted c-FBP-NC).The experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations show that the formed polarized P-N covalent bonds in c-FBP-NC can efficiently regulate electron transfer from NC to FBP and significantly promote the capture and catalysis of lithium polysulfides,thus alleviating the shuttle effect.Meanwhile,the robust 1D-2D interwoven structure with large surface area and high porosity allows strong physical confinement and fast mass transfer.Impressively,with c-FBP-NC as the sulfur host,the battery shows a high areal capacity of 7.69 mAh cm^(−2) under high sulfur loading of 8.74 mg cm^(−2) and a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 5.7μL mg^(−1).Moreover,the assembled pouch cell with sulfur loading of 4 mg cm^(−2) and an electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 3.5μL mg^(−1) shows good rate capability and outstanding cyclability.This work proposes an interfacial and electronic structure engineering strategy for fast and durable sulfur electrochemistry,demonstrating great potential in lithium-sulfur batteries.

Biomass-derived porous carbon with single-atomic cobalt toward high-performance aqueous zinc-sulfur batteries at room temperature

Aqueous zinc-sulfur batteries at room temperature hold great potential for next-generation energy storage technology due to their low cost,safety and high energy density.However,slow reaction kinetics and high activation energy at the sulfur cathode pose great challenges for the practical applications.Herein,biomass-derived carbon with single-atomic cobalt sites(MMPC-Co)is synthesized as the cathode in Zn-S batteries.The catalysis of single-atom Co sites greatly promotes the transform of cathode electrolyte interface(CEI)on the cathode surface,while offering accelerated charge transfer rate for high conversion reversibility and large electrochemical surface area(ECSA)for high electrocatalytic current.Furthermore,the rich pore structure not only physically limits sulfur loss,but also accelerates the transport of zinc ions.In addition,the large pore volume of MMPC-Co is able to relieve the stress effect caused by the volume expansion of Zn S during charge/discharge cycles,thereby maintaining the stability of electrode structure.Consequently,the sulfur cathode maintains a high specific capacity of 729.96 m A h g^(-1)after 500 cycles at4 A g^(-1),which is much better than most cathode materials reported in the literature.This work provides new insights into the design and development of room-temperature aqueous Zn-S batteries.

A new approach for recycling arsenic and tin from low-grade tin middlings using a self-sulfurization roasting

Massive amounts of low-grade tin middlings have been produced from tin tailings,in which arsenic and tin are worthy to be recycled.Owing to high sulfur content in these tin middlings,a novel self-sulfurization roasting was proposed to transform,separate and recover arsenic and tin in this research.There was no extra curing agent to be added,which decreased the formation of pollutant S-containing gas.The self-sulfurization process involved a two-stage roasting of reduction followed by sulfurization.First in reduction roasting,FeAsS decomposed to FeS and As and the As then transformed to As_(4)(g)and As_(4)S_(4)(g),via which the arsenic was separated and recovered.The arsenic content in the first residue could be decreased to 0.72 wt.%.Accompanied with it,the FeS was firstly oxidized to Fe_(1−x)S and then to SO_(2)(g)by the coexisted Fe_(2)O_(3),and finally reduced and combined with the independent Fe_(2)O_(3)to form Fe_(1−x)S.In the followed sulfurization roasting,the Fe_(1−x)S sulfurized SnO_(2)to SnS(g),due to which tin could be recovered and its content in the second residue decreased to 0.01 wt.%.This study provided an efficient method to separate and recover arsenic and tin from low-grade tin middlings.

State-selective charge exchange cross sections in collisions of highly-charged sulfur ions with helium and molecular hydrogen

The state-selective cross section data are useful for understanding and modeling the x-ray emission in celestial observations.In the present work,using the cold target recoil ion momentum spectroscopy,for the first time we investigated the state-selective single electron capture processes for S^(q+)–He and H_(2)(q=11–15)collision systems at an impact energy of q×20 keV and obtained the relative state-selective cross sections.The results indicate that only a few principal quantum states of the projectile energy level are populated in a single electron capture process.In particular,the increase of the projectile charge state leads to the population of the states with higher principal quantum numbers.It is also shown that the experimental averaged n-shell populations are reproduced well by the over-barrier model.The database is openly available in Science Data Bank at 10.57760/sciencedb.j00113.00091.

Selective leaching of lithium from spent lithium-ion batteries using sulfuric acid and oxalic acid

Traditional hydrometallurgical methods for recovering spent lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)involve acid leaching to simultaneously extract all valuable metals into the leachate.These methods usually are followed by a series of separation steps such as precipitation,extraction,and stripping to separate the individual valuable metals.In this study,we present a process for selectively leaching lithium through the synergistic effect of sulfuric and oxalic acids.Under optimal leaching conditions(leaching time of 1.5 h,leaching temperature of 70°C,liquid-solid ratio of 4 mL/g,oxalic acid ratio of 1.3,and sulfuric acid ratio of 1.3),the lithium leaching efficiency reached89.6%,and the leaching efficiencies of Ni,Co,and Mn were 12.8%,6.5%,and 21.7%.X-ray diffraction(XRD)and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer(ICP-OES)analyses showed that most of the Ni,Co,and Mn in the raw material remained as solid residue oxides and oxalates.This study offers a new approach to enriching the relevant theory for selectively recovering lithium from spent LIBs.

Acid mine drainage activation mechanism on lime-depressed pyrite flotation from copper sulfide ore

The lime-depressed pyrite from Cu differential flotation tailings with acid mine drainage(AMD)as a natural activator was recovered.The effect of AMD on lime-depressed pyrite flotation was investigated by a series of laboratory flotation tests and surface analytical techniques.Flotation test results indicated that AMD could effectively activate the pyrite flotation with a sodium butyl xanthate(SBX)collector,and a high-quality sulfur concentrate was obtained.Pulp ion concentration analysis results indicated that AMD facilitated desorption of Ca~(2+)and adsorption of Cu~(2+)on the depressed-pyrite surface.Adsorption measurements and contact angle analysis results confirmed that adding AMD improved the adsorption amount of SBX collector on the pyrite surface and increased the contact angle by 31°.Results of Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated that AMD treatment promoted the formation of hydrophobic species(S~0 hydrophobic entity and copper sulfides)and the removal of hydrophilic calcium and iron species on the pyrite surface,which reinforced the adsorption of collector.The findings of the present research provide important theoretical basis and technical support for a cleaner production of copper sulfide ores.

Lithium-Metal-Free Sulfur Batteries with Biochar and Steam-Activated Biochar-Based Anodes from Spent Common Ivy

Lithium-sulfur batteries are emerging as sustainable replacements for current lithium-ion batteries.The commercial viability of this novel type of battery is still under debate due to the extensive use of highly reactive lithium-metal anodes and the complex electrochemistry of the sulfur cathode.In this research,a novel sulfur-based battery has been proposed that eliminates the need for metallic lithium anodes and other critical raw materials like cobalt and graphite,replacing them with biomass-derived materials.This approach presents numerous benefits,encompassing ample availability,cost-effectiveness,safety,and environmental friendliness.In particular,two types of biochar-based anode electrodes(non-activated and activated biochar)derived from spent common ivy have been investigated as alternatives to metallic lithium.We compared their structural and electrochemical properties,both of which exhibited good compatibility with the typical electrolytes used in sulfur batteries.Surprisingly,while steam activation results in an increased specific surface area,the non-activated ivy biochar demonstrates better performance than the activated biochar,achieving a stable capacity of 400 mA h g^(−1)at 0.1 A g^(−1)and a long lifespan(>400 cycles at 0.5 A g^(−1)).Our results demonstrate that the presence of heteroatoms,such as oxygen and nitrogen positively affects the capacity and cycling performance of the electrodes.This led to increased d-spacing in the graphitic layer,a strong interaction with the solid electrolyte interphase layer,and improved ion transportation.Finally,the non-activated biochar was successfully coupled with a sulfur cathode to fabricate lithium-metal-free sulfur batteries,delivering a specific energy density of~600 Wh kg^(−1).