Unraveling the Fundamental Mechanism of Interface Conductive Network Influence on the Fast‑Charging Performance of SiO‑Based Anode for Lithium‑Ion Batteries

Progress in the fast charging of high-capacity silicon monoxide(SiO)-based anode is currently hindered by insufficient conductivity and notable volume expansion.The construction of an interface conductive network effectively addresses the aforementioned problems;however,the impact of its quality on lithium-ion transfer and structure durability is yet to be explored.Herein,the influence of an interface conductive network on ionic transport and mechanical stability under fast charging is explored for the first time.2D modeling simulation and Cryo-transmission electron microscopy precisely reveal the mitigation of interface polarization owing to a higher fraction of conductive inorganic species formation in bilayer solid electrolyte interphase is mainly responsible for a linear decrease in ionic diffusion energy barrier.Furthermore,atomic force microscopy and Raman shift exhibit substantial stress dissipation generated by a complete conductive network,which is critical to the linear reduction of electrode residual stress.This study provides insights into the rational design of optimized interface SiO-based anodes with reinforced fast-charging performance.

Polymer-based EMI shielding composites with 3D conductive networks:A mini-review

High-frequency electromagnetic waves and electronic products can bring great convenience to people’s life,but lead to a series of electromagnetic interference(EMI)problems,such as great potential dangers to the normal operation of elec-tronic components and human safety.Therefore,the research of EMI shield-ing materials has attracted extensive attention by the scholars.Among them,polymer-based EMI shielding materials with light weight,high specific strength,and stable properties have become the current mainstream.The construction of 3D conductive networks has proved to be an effective method for the prepara-tion of polymer-based EMI shielding materials with excellent shielding effective-ness(SE).In this paper,the shielding mechanism of polymer-based EMI shield-ing materials with 3D conductive networks is briefly introduced,with emphasis on the preparation methods and latest research progress of polymer-based EMI shielding materials with different 3D conductive networks.The key scientific and technical problems to be solved in the field of polymer-based EMI shielding materials are also put forward.Finally,the development trend and application prospects of polymer-based EMI shielding materials are prospected.

Flexible Polydimethylsiloxane Composite with Multi-Scale Conductive Network for Ultra-Strong Electromagnetic Interference Protection

Highly conductive polymer composites(CPCs) with excellent mechanical flexibility are ideal materials for designing excellent electromagnetic interference(EMI) shielding materials,which can be used for the electromagnetic interference protection of flexible electronic devices.It is extremely urgent to fabricate ultra-strong EMI shielding CPCs with efficient conductive networks.In this paper,a novel silver-plated polylactide short fiber(Ag@PL ASF,AAF) was fabricated and was integrated with carbon nanotubes(CNT) to construct a multi-scale conductive network in polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS) matrix.The multi-scale conductive network endowed the flexible PDMS/AAF/CNT composite with excellent electrical conductivity of 440 S m-1and ultra-strong EMI shielding effectiveness(EMI SE) of up to 113 dB,containing only 5.0 vol% of AAF and 3.0 vol% of CNT(11.1wt% conductive filler content).Due to its excellent flexibility,the composite still showed 94% and 90% retention rates of EMI SE even after subjected to a simulated aging strategy(60℃ for 7 days) and 10,000 bending-releasing cycles.This strategy provides an important guidance for designing excellent EMI shielding materials to protect the workspace,environment and sensitive circuits against radiation for flexible electronic devices.

Recent advances and perspectives in MXene-based cathodes for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries(AZIBs)show great potential for applications in grid-scale energy storage,given their intrinsic safety,cost effectiveness,environmental friendliness,and impressive electrochemical performance.However,strong electrostatic interactions exist between zinc ions and host materials,and they hinder the development of advanced cathode materials for efficient,rapid,and stable Zn-ion storage.MXenes and their derivatives possess a large interlayer spacing,excellent hydrophilicity,outstanding electronic conductivity,and high redox activity.These materials are considered“rising star”cathode candidates for AZIBs.This comprehensive review discusses recent advances in MXenes as AZIB cathodes from the perspectives of crystal structure,Zn-storage mechanism,surface modification,interlayer engineering,and conductive network design to elucidate the correlations among their composition,structure,and electrochemical performance.This work also outlines the remaining challenges faced by MXenes for aqueous Zn-ion storage,such as the urgent need for improved toxic preparation methods,exploration of potential novel MXene cathodes,and suppression of layered MXene restacking upon cycling,and introduces the prospects of MXene-based cathode materials for high-performance AZIBs.

Highly Thermally Conductive Polydimethylsiloxane Composites with Controllable 3D GO@f-CNTs Networks via Self-sacrificing Template Method

Constructing controllable thermal conduction networks is the key to efficiently improve thermal conductivities of polymer composites.In this work,graphite oxide(GO)and functionalized carbon nanotubes(f-CNTs)are combined to prepare“Line-Plane”-like hetero-structured thermally conductive GO@f-CNTs fillers,which are then performed to construct controllable 3D GO@f-CNTs thermal conduction networks via selfsacrificing template method based on oxalic acid.Subsequently,thermally conductive GO@f-CNTs/polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS)composites are fabricated via casting method.When the size of oxalic acid is 0.24 mm and the volume fraction of GO@f-CNTs is 60 vol%,GO@f-CNTs/PDMS composites present the optimal thermal conductivity coefficient(λ,4.00 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1)),about 20 times that of theλof neat PDMS(0.20 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1)),also much higher than theλ(2.44 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1))of GO/f-CNTs/PDMS composites with the same amount of randomly dispersed fillers.Meanwhile,the obtained GO@f-CNTs/PDMS composites have excellent thermal stability,whoseλdeviation is only about 3%after 500 thermal cycles(20-200℃).

Boosting the zinc storage performance of vanadium dioxide by integrated morphology engineering and carbon nanotube conductive networks

Vanadium dioxide(VO_(2)) with the advantages of high theoretical capacity and tunnel structure has attracted considerable promising candidates for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.Nevertheless,the intrinsic low electronic conductivity of VO_(2) results in an unsatisfactory electrochemical performance.Herein,a flower-like VO_(2)/carbon nanotubes(CNTs)composite was obtained by a facile hydrothermal method.The unique flower-like morphology shortens the ion transport length and facilitates electrolyte infiltration.Meanwhile,the CNT conductive networks is in favor of fast electron transfer.A highly reversible zinc storage mechanism was revealed by ex-situ X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.As a result,the VO_(2)/CNTs cathode exhibits a high reversible capacity(410 mAh·g^(−1)),superior rate performance(305 mAh·g^(−1)at 5 A·g^(−1)),and excellent cycling stability(a reversible capacity of 221 mAh·g^(−1)was maintained even after 2000 cycles).This work provides a guide for the design of high-performance cathode materials for aqueous zinc metal batteries.

Ultrafast battery heat dissipation enabled by highly ordered and interconnected hexagonal boron nitride thermal conductive composites

Heat dissipation involved safety issues are crucial for industrial applications of the high-energy density battery and fast charging technology.While traditional air or liquid cooling methods suffering from space limitation and possible leakage of electricity during charge process,emerging phase change materials as solid cooling media are of growing interest.Among them,paraffin wax(PW)with large latent heat capacity and low cost is desirable for heat dissipation and thermal management which mainly hindered by their relatively low thermal conductivity and susceptibility to leakage.Here,highly ordered and interconnected hexagonal boron nitride(h-BN)networks were established via ice template method and introduced into PW to enhance the thermal conductivity.The composite with 20 wt%loading amount of h-BN can guarantee a highly ordered network and exhibited high thermal conductivity(1.86 W m^(-1) K^(-1))which was 4 times larger compared with that of random dispersed h-BN involved PW and nearly 8 times larger compared with that of bare PW.The optimal thermal conductive composites demonstrated ultrafast heat dissipation as well as leakage resistance for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs),heat generated by LIBs can be effectively transferred under the working state and the surface temperature kept 6.9℃ lower at most under 2–5℃ continuous charge-discharge process compared with that of bare one which illustrated great potential for industrial thermal management.

Black Phosphorus/Nanocarbons Constructing a Dual-Carbon Conductive Network for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries

Black phosphorus has been recognized as a prospective candidate anode material for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)due to its ultrahigh theoretical capacity of 2596 mA·h/g and high electric conductivity of≈300 S/m.However,its large volume expansion and contraction during sodiation/desodiation lead to poor cycling stability.In this work,a BP/graphite nanoparticle/nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes(BP/G/CNTs)composite with a dual-carbon conductive network is successfully fabricated as a promising anode material for SIBs through a simple two-step mechanical milling process.The unique structure can mitigate the eff ect of volume changes and provide additional electron conduction pathways during cycles.Furthermore,the formation of P–O–C bonds helps maintain the intimate connection between phosphorus and carbon,thereby improving the cycling and rate performance.As a result,the BP/G/CNTs composite delivers a high initial Coulombic efficiency(89.6%)and a high specific capacity for SIBs(1791.3 mA·h/g after 100 cycles at 519.2 mA/g and 1665.2 mA·h/g after 100 cycles at 1298 mA/g).Based on these results,the integrated strategy of one-and two-dimensional carbon materials can guide other anode materials for SIBs.

Resistivity-temperature Characteristics of Conductive Asphalt Concrete

The changes of resistivity of conductive asphalt concrete at different temperatures were studied,and positive temperature coefficient（PTC）modelwas established to estimate the influence of temperature on the resistivity quantitatively,which eliminated the interference with conductivity evaluation brought by temperature variation.Finally,the analysis of temperature cycling test results proves that the changes of percolation network structure caused by temperature variation prompt the emergence of PTC of conductive asphalt concrete.

Conductive Polymer Composites Fabricated by Disposable Face Masks and Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: Crystalline Structure and Enhancement Effect

Influenced by recent COVID-19,wearing face masks to block the spread of the epidemic has become the simplest and most effective way.However,after the people wear masks,thousands of tons of medical waste by used dis-posable masks will be generated every day in the world,causing great pressure on the environment.Herein,con-ductive polymer composites are fabricated by simple melt blending of mask fragments(mask polypropylene,short for mPP)and multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWNTs).MWNTs were used as modifiers for composites because of their high strength and high conductivity.The crystalline structure,mechanical,electrical and thermal enhancement effect of the composites were investigated.MWNTs with high thermal stability acted the role of promoting the crystallisation of mPP by expediting the crystalline nucleation,leading to the improvement of amount for crystalline nucleus.MWNTs fibers interpenetrate with each other in mPP matrix to form conducting network.With 2.0 wt% MWNTs loading,the tensile strength and electrical conductivity of the composites were increased by 809% and 7 orders of magnitude.MWNTs fibers interpenetrate with each other in mPP matrix to form conducting network.Thus,more conducting paths were constructed to transport carriers.The findings may open a way for high value utilization of the disposable masks.

Temperature dependence of heat conduction coefficient in nanotube/nanowire networks

Studies on heat conduction are so far mainly focused on regular systems such as the one-dimensional（1D） and twodimensional（2D） lattices where atoms are regularly connected and temperatures of atoms are homogeneously distributed.However, realistic systems such as the nanotube/nanowire networks are not regular but heterogeneously structured, and their heat conduction remains largely unknown. We present a model of quasi-physical networks to study heat conduction in such physical networks and focus on how the network structure influences the heat conduction coefficient κ. In this model,we for the first time consider each link as a 1D chain of atoms instead of a spring in the previous studies. We find that κ is different from link to link in the network, in contrast to the same constant in a regular 1D or 2D lattice. Moreover, for each specific link, we present a formula to show how κ depends on both its link length and the temperatures on its two ends.These findings show that the heat conduction in physical networks is not a straightforward extension of 1D and 2D lattices but seriously influenced by the network structure.

Transparent micropatterned conductive films based on highlyordered nanowire network

Transparent conductive films that are based on nanowire networks are essential to construct flexible,wearable,and even stretchable electronics.However,large-scale precise micropatterning,especially with regard to the controllability of the organizing orientation of nanowires,is a critical challenge.Herein,we proposed a liquid film rupture self-assembly approach for manufacturing transparent conductive films with microstructure arrays based on a highly ordered nanowire network.The large-scale microstructure conductive films were fabricated through air-liquid interface self-assembly and liquid film rupture self-assembly.Six typical micropattern morphologies,including square,hexagon,circle,serpentine,etc.,were prepared to reveal the universal applicability of the proposed approach.The homogeneity and controllability of this approach were verified for multiple assemblies.With the assembly cycles increasing,the optical transmittance decreases slightly.In addition,theoretical model analysis is carried out,and the analytical formula of the speed of the film moving with the surface tension and the density of the liquid film is presented.Finally,the feasibility of this approach for piezoresistive strain sensors is verified.This fabrication approach demonstrated a cost-effective and efficient method for precisely arranging nanowires,which is useful in transparent and wearable applications.

Significantly Enhanced Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Performances of Epoxy Nanocomposites with Long-Range Aligned Lamellar Structures

High-efficiency electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding materials are of great importance for electronic equipment reliability,information security and human health.In this work,bidirectional aligned Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)@Fe_(3)O_(4)/CNF aerogels(BTFCA)were firstly assembled by bidirectional freezing and freeze-drying technique,and the BTFCA/epoxy nanocomposites with long-range aligned lamellar structures were then prepared by vacuum-assisted impregnation of epoxy resins.Benefitting from the successful construction of bidirectional aligned three-dimensional conductive networks and electromagnetic synergistic effect,when the mass fraction of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) and Fe_(3)O_(4) are 2.96 and 1.48 wt%,BTFCA/epoxy nanocomposites show outstanding EMI shield-ing effectiveness of 79 dB,about 10 times of that of blended Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)@Fe_(3)O_(4)/epoxy(8 dB)nanocomposites with the same loadings of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) and Fe_(3)O_(4).Meantime,the corresponding BTFCA/epoxy nanocomposites also present excellent thermal stability(T_(heat-resistance index) of 198.7℃)and mechanical properties(storage modulus of 9902.1 MPa,Young’s modulus of 4.51 GPa and hardness of 0.34 GPa).Our fabricated BTFCA/epoxy nanocomposites would greatly expand the applications of MXene and epoxy resins in the fields of information security,aerospace and weapon manufacturing,etc.

A Perspective for Developing Polymer-Based Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Composites

The rapid development of aerospace weapons and equipment,wireless base stations and 5G communication technologies has put forward newer and higher requirements for the comprehensive performances of polymer-based electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding composites.However,most of currently prepared polymer-based EMI shielding composites are still difficult to combine high performance and multi-functionality.In response to this,based on the research works of relevant researchers as well as our research group,three possible directions to break through the above bottlenecks are proposed,including construction of efficient conductive networks,optimization of multi-interfaces for lightweight and multifunction compatibility design.The future development trends in three directions are prospected,and it is hoped to provide certain theoretical basis and technical guidance for the preparation,research and development of polymer-based EMI shielding composites.

CNTs@S composite as cathode for all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries with ultralong cycle life

The main challenges in development of traditional liquid lithium-sulfur batteries are the shuttle effect at the cathode caused by the polysulfide and the safety concern at the Li metal anode arose from the dendrite formation.All-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries have been proposed to solve the shuttle effect and prevent short circuits.However,solid-solid contacts between the electrodes and the electrolyte increase the interface resistance and stress/strain,which could result in the limited electrochemical performances.In this work,the cathode of all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries is prepared by depositing sulfur on the surface of the carbon nanotubes(CNTs@S)and further mixing with Li10GeP2S12 electrolyte and acetylene black agents.At 60℃,CNTs@S electrode exhibits superior electrochemical performance,delivering the reversible discharge capacities of 1193.3,959.5,813.1,569.6 and 395.5 mAhg^-1 at the rate of 0.1,0.5,1,2 and 5 C,respectively.Moreover,the CNTs@S is able to demonstrate superior high-rate capability of 660.3 mAhg^-1 and cycling stability of 400 cycles at a high rate of 1.0 C.Such uniform distribution of the CNTs,S and Li10GeP2S12 electrolyte increase the electronic and ionic conductivity between the cathode and the electrolyte hence improves the rate performance and capacity retention.

Intrinsic conductive cellulose nanofiber induce room-temperature reversible and robust polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel for multifunctional self-healable biosensors

Polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)hydrogels are widely used for flexible sensors by adding various conductive substances due to their excellent mechanical properties and self-healing properties.However,most of the conductive substances added to PVA hydrogel sensors are currently complicated to prepare,costly,and environmentally unfriendly.Herein,to overcome this challenge,we successfully prepared intrinsic conductive cellulose nanofiber(G-CNF)by simply applying sulfuric acid and a low-energy water bath with heat treatment,and obtained a powerful multifunctional self-healing PGC hydrogel biosensor using dynamic chemical cross-linking of PVA and borax with glycerol and G-CNF.The obtained PGC hydrogels have excellent mechanical properties(strain:950%),good adhesion ability,robust self-healing properties,and room-temperature reversibility,due to the presence of conductive networks and hydrogen bonds within PGC hydrogel.Especially,PGC hydrogels with the graphene structured G-CNF have a fast response to various signals and good stability with gauge factor(GF)values up to 1.83,as well as a sensitive response to temperature(temperature coefficient of resistance(TCR)up to 1.9),which can be designed as a variety of biosensors,such as human motion monitoring,information encryption/transmission,and real-time temperature monitoring biosensors.Thus,PGC hydrogels as multifunctional self-healing hydrogel biosensors pave the way for the development of flexible biosensors in wearable devices,human–computer interaction,and artificial-related applications.

Spherical FeF3·0.33H2O/MWCNTs nanocomposite with mesoporous structure as cathode material of sodium ion battery

FeF3·0.33H2O crystallizes in hexagonal tungsten bronze structure with more opened hexagonal cavities are considered as next generation electrode materials of both lithium ion battery and sodium ion battery.In this paper the mesoporous spherical FeF3·0.33H2O/MWCNTs nanocomposite was successfully synthesized via a one-step solvothermal approach. Galvanostatic measurement showed that the performances of sodium ion batteries（SIBs） using FeF3·0.33H2O/MWCNTs as cathode material were highly dependent on the morphology and size of the as-prepared materials. Benefitting from the special mesoporous structure features, FeF3·0.33H2O/MWCNTs nanocomposite exhibits much better electrochemical performances in terms of initial discharge capacity（350.4 mAh g-1） and cycle performance（123.5 mAh g-1 after 50 cycles at 0.1 C range from 1.0 V to 4.0 V） as well as rate capacity（123.8 mAh g-1 after 25 cycles back to 0.1 C）. The excellent electrochemical performance enhancement can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the mesoporous structure and the MWCNTs conductive network, which can effectively increase the contact area between the active materials and the electrolyte, shorten the Na＋ diffusion pathway,buffer the volume change during cycling/discharge process and improve the structure stability of the FeF3·0.33H2O/MWCNTs nanocomposite.

Monoclinic Cu_(3)(OH)_(2)V_(2)O_(7)·2H_(2)O nanobelts/reduced graphene oxide:A novel high-capacity and long-life composite for potassium-ion battery anodes

Developing suitable anode materials for potassium-ion batteries(PIBs)remains a great challenge owing to the limited theoretical capacity of active materials and large radius of K+ion(1.38?).To solve these obstacles,by integrating the principles of multielectron transfer and rational porous crystal framework,we creatively propose the monoclinic Cu_(3)(OH)_(2)V_(2)O_(7)·2H_(2)O(CVO)as a novel anode for PIBs.Furthermore,inspired by the metastable nature of CVO under high temperature/pressure,we skillfully design a facile hydrothermal recrystallization strategy without the phase change and surfactants addition.Thus,for the first time,the porous composite of Cu_(3)(OH)_(2)V_(2)O_(7)·2H_(2)O nanobelts covered in situ by reduced graphene oxide(CVO NBs/r GO)was assembled,greatly improving the deficiencies of CVO.When used as a novel anode for PIBs,CVO NBs/r GO delivers large specific capacity(up to 551.4 m Ah g^(-1)at 50 m A g^(-1)),high-rate capability(215.3 m Ah g^(-1)at 2.5 A g^(-1))and super durability(203.6 m Ah g^(-1)at 500 m A g^(-1)even after 1000 cycles).The outstanding performance can be ascribed to the synergistic merits of desirable structural features of monoclinic CVO nanobelts and the highly conductive graphene 3D network,thus promoting the composite material stability and electrical/ionic conductivity.This work reveals a novel metal vanadate-based anode material for PIBs,would further motivate the subsequent batteries research on M_(3)(OH)_(2)V_(2)O_(7)-n H_(2)O(M;Co,Ni,Cu,Zn),and ultimately expands valuable fundamental understanding on designing other high-performance electrode materials,including the combined strategies of multielectron transfer with rational porous crystal framework,and the composite fabrication of 1D electrode nanostructure with conductive carbon matrix.

Tuning mechanical and electrical performances of B_(4)C-TiB_(2)ceramics in a two-step spark plasma sintering process

B_(4)C–TiB_(2)is an advanced electrically conductive ceramic with excellent mechanical and electrical discharge machinable properties.It is challenging and rewarding to achieve highly conductive and hard B_(4)C–TiB_(2)composites at a minimum content of conductive TiB2 that has inferior hardness but double specific gravity of the B_(4)C matrix.A novel strategy was used to construct conductive networks in B_(4)C‒15 vol%TiB2 composite ceramics with B_(4)C,TiC,and amorphous B as raw materials by a two-step spark plasma sintering method.The influences of particle size matching between B_(4)C and TiC on the conducting of the strategy and the microstructure were discussed based on the selective matrix grain growth mechanism.The mechanical and electrical properties were also systematically investigated.The B_(4)C–15 vol%TiB2 composite ceramic prepared from 10.29µm B_(4)C and 0.05µm TiC powders exhibited a perfect three-dimensional interconnected conductive network with a maximum electrical conductivity of 4.25×10^(4)S/m,together with excellent mechanical properties including flexural strength,Vickers hardness,and fracture toughness of 691±58 MPa,30.30±0.61 GPa,and 5.75±0.32 MPa·m^(1/2),respectively,while the composite obtained from 3.12µm B_(4)C and 0.8µm TiC powders had the best mechanical properties including flexural strength,Vickers hardness,and fracture toughness of 827±35 MPa,32.01±0.51 GPa,and 6.45±0.22 MPa·m^(1/2),together with a decent electrical conductivity of 0.65×10^(4)S/m.

Tuning the Electrically Conductive Network of Grafted Nanoparticles in Polymer Nanocomposites by the Shear Field

Contolling the formation of the conductive network in the polymer nanocomposites(PNCs)is very meaningful to enhance their electrical property.In this work,we investigated the effect of grafted nanoparticles(NPs)on the conductive probability of PNCs in the quiescent state as well as under the shear field via a coarse grained molecular dynamics simulation.It is found that the smallest percolation threshold is realized at the moderate grafting density,the moderate length of grafted chains or the moderate interaction between grafted chains and free chains.Corresponding to it,the dispersion state of NPs varies from the contact aggregation to the uniform dispersion.By analyzing the connection mode among NPs,the probabilty of NPs which connect three other ones reaches the maximum value at their moderate dispersion state which is responsible for the optimal conductive probability.In addition,the main cluster size is characterized to better understand the conductive network which is consistent with the percolation threshold.It is interesting to find that the percolation threshold is smaller under the shear field than under the quiescent state.The shear field induces more NPs which connect three other ones.This benefits the formation of the new conductive network.Meanwhile,the anisotropy of the conductive probability is reduced with increasing the grafting density.In summary,this work provides a clear picture on how the conductive network of grafted NPs evolves under the shear field.