Understanding the oxidation chemistry of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)(MXene)sheets and their catalytic performances

Transition metal carbides and nitrides(MXenes)nanosheets are attractive two-dimensional(2D)materials,but they suffer from oxidation/degradation issues during storage and/or applications due to their sensitivity to water and oxygen.Despite the great research progress,the exact oxidation kinetics of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)(MXene)and their final products after oxidation are not fully understood.Herein,we systematically tracked the oxidation process of few-layer Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) nanosheets in an aqueous solution at room temperature over several weeks.We also studied the oxidation effects on the electrocatalytic properties of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) for hydrogen evolution reaction and found that the overpotential to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2)increases from 0.435 to 0.877 V after three weeks of degradation,followed by improvement to stabilized values of around 0.40 V after eight weeks.These results suggest that severely oxidized MXene could be a promising candidate for designing efficient catalysts.According to our detailed experimental characterization and theoretical calculations,unlike previous studies,black titanium oxide is formed as the final product in addition to white Ti(IV)oxide and disordered carbons after the complete oxidation of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x).This work presents significant advancements in better understanding of 2D Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)(MXene)oxidation and enhances the prospects of this material for various applications.

Tuning electronic structure of RuO_(2)by single atom Zn and oxygen vacancies to boost oxygen evolution reaction in acidic medium

The poor stability of RuO_(2)electrocatalysts has been the primary obstacles for their practical application in polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzers.To dramatically enhance the durability of RuO_(2)to construct activity-stability trade-off model is full of significance but challenging.Herein,a single atom Zn stabilized RuO_(2)with enriched oxygen vacancies(SA Zn-RuO_(2))is developed as a promising alternative to iridium oxide for acidic oxygen evolution reaction(OER).Compared with commercial RuO_(2),the enhanced Ru–O bond strength of SA Zn-RuO_(2)by forming Zn-O-Ru local structure motif is favorable to stabilize surface Ru,while the electrons transferred from Zn single atoms to adjacent Ru atoms protects the Ru active sites from overoxidation.Simultaneously,the optimized surrounding electronic structure of Ru sites in SA ZnRuO_(2)decreases the adsorption energies of OER intermediates to reduce the reaction barrier.As a result,the representative SA Zn-RuO_(2)exhibits a low overpotential of 210 mV to achieve 10 mA cm^(-2)and a greatly enhanced durability than commercial RuO_(2).This work provides a promising dual-engineering strategy by coupling single atom doping and vacancy for the tradeoff of high activity and catalytic stability toward acidic OER.

Oxygen functionalization-assisted anionic exchange toward unique construction of flower-like transition metal chalcogenide embedded carbon fabric for ultra-long life flexible energy storage and conversion

The metal-organic framework(MOF)derived Ni–Co–C–N composite alloys(NiCCZ)were“embedded”inside the carbon cloth(CC)strands as opposed to the popular idea of growing them upward to realize ultrastable energy storage and conversion application.The NiCCZ was then oxygen functionalized,facilitating the next step of stoichiometric sulfur anion diffusion during hydrothermal sulfurization,generating a flower-like metal hydroxysulfide structure(NiCCZOS)with strong partial implantation inside CC.Thus obtained NiCCZOS shows an excellent capacity when tested as a supercapacitor electrode in a three-electrode configuration.Moreover,when paired with the biomass-derived nitrogen-rich activated carbon,the asymmetric supercapacitor device shows almost 100%capacity retention even after 45,000 charge–discharge cycles with remarkable energy density(59.4 Wh kg^(-1)/263.8μWh cm^(–2))owing to a uniquely designed cathode.Furthermore,the same electrode performed as an excellent bifunctional water-splitting electrocatalyst with an overpotential of 271 mV for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and 168.4 mV for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)at 10 mA cm−2 current density along with 30 h of unhinged chronopotentiometric stability performance for both HER and OER.Hence,a unique metal chalcogenide composite electrode/substrate configuration has been proposed as a highly stable electrode material for flexible energy storage and conversion applications.

Electrokinetic-mechanism of water and furfural oxidation on pulsed laser-interlaced Cu_(2)O and CoO on nickel foam

The electrocatalytic oxidation of biomass-derived furfural(FF)feedstocks into 2-furoic acid(FA)holds immense industrial potential in optics,cosmetics,polymers,and food.Herein,we fabricated Co O/Ni O/nickel foam(NF)and Cu_(2)O/Ni O/NF electrodes via in situ pulsed laser irradiation in liquids(PLIL)for the bifunctional electrocatalysis of oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and furfural oxidation reaction(FOR),respectively.Simultaneous oxidation of NF surface to NiO and deposition of CoO and/or Cu_(2)O on NF during PLIL offer distinct advantages for enhancing both the OER and FOR.CoO/NiO/NF electrocatalyst provides a consistently low overpotential of~359 m V(OER)at 10 m A/cm^(2),achieving the maximum FA yield(~16.37 m M)with 61.5%selectivity,79.5%carbon balance,and a remarkable Faradaic efficiency of~90.1%during 2 h of FOR at 1.43 V(vs.reversible hydrogen electrode).Mechanistic pathway via in situ electrochemical-Raman spectroscopy on CoO/NiO/NF reveals the involvement of phase transition intermediates(NiOOH and CoOOH)as surface-active centers during electrochemical oxidation.The carbonyl carbon in FF is attacked by hydroxyl groups to form unstable hydrates that subsequently undergo further oxidation to yield FA products.This method holds promise for large-scale applications,enabling simultaneous production of renewable building materials and fuel.

Reviewing electrochemical stability of ionic liquids-/deep eutectic solvents-based electrolytes in lithium-ion,lithium-metal and post-lithium-ion batteries for green and safe energy

Sustainable energy is the key issue for the environment protection,human activity and economic development.Ionic liquids(ILs)and deep eutectic solvents(DESs)are dogmatically regarded as green and sustainable electrolytes in lithium-ion,lithium-metal(e.g.,lithium-sulphur,lithium-oxygen)and post-lithium-ion(e.g.,sodium-ion,magnesium-ion,and aluminum-ion)batteries.High electrochemical stability of ILs/DESs is one of the prerequisites for green,sustainable and safe energy;while easy electrochemical decomposition of ILs/DESs would be contradictory to the concept of green chemistry by adding the cost,releasing volatile/hazardous by-products and hindering the recyclability.However,(1)are ILs/DESs-based electrolytes really electrochemically stable when they are not used in batteries?(2)are ILs/DESs-based electrolytes really electrochemically stable in real batteries?(3)how to design ILs/DESs-based electrolytes with high electrochemical stability for batteries to achieve sustainability and green development?Up to now,there is no summary on this topic,to the best of our knowledge.Here,we review the effect of chemical structure and non-structural factors on the electrochemical stability of ILs/DESs in simulated conditions.More importantly,electrochemical stability of ILs/DESs in real lithium-ion,lithium-metal and post-lithium-ion batteries is concluded and compared.Finally,the strategies to improve the electrochemical stability of ILs/DESs in lithium-ion,lithium-metal and post-lithium-ion batteries are proposed.This review would provide a guide to design ILs/DESs with high electrochemical stability for lithium-ion,lithium-metal and postlithium-ion batteries to achieve sustainable and green energy.

Upper-rim-modified thioether thiacalix[4]arene used for liquid-liquid extraction of Au(Ⅲ)and Pd(Ⅱ)in hydrochloric acid medium

Gold(Au)and palladium(Pd)play an increasing role in the production and human life;Therefore,it is of great significance to study their recovery.A 5,11,17,23-tetra-ethylthio-25,26,27,28-tetra-hydroxyl thiacalix[4]arene(TCAET)was synthesized specifically for the capture of Au(Ⅲ)and Pd(Ⅱ)from HCl medium by liquid-liquid extraction.In a 0.1 mol·L^(-1)HCl medium,the transfer of Au(Ⅲ)and Pd(Ⅱ)from the aqueous phase to the organic phase was highly efficient,with a transfer ratio of 100%for Au(Ⅲ)and 98%for Pd(Ⅱ).Furthermore,the extraction equilibrium time for Au(Ⅲ)was just 5 min.Job's method data demonstrated that TCAET formed complexes with Au(Ⅲ)and Pd(Ⅱ)in a ratio of 2:3 and 1:1,respectively,during the extraction process.TCAET showed high selectivity toward Pd(Ⅱ)and Au(Ⅲ)over other competing metal ions.Moreover,both Au(Ⅲ)and Pd(Ⅱ)could be successfully stripped from the loaded organic phases with a 1.0 mol·L^(-1)thiourea in 0.5 mol·L^(-1)HCl and 0.5 mol·L^(-1)thiourea in 0.5 mol·L^(-1)HCl,respectively.Results obtained from five consecutive extraction-stripping cycles showed good reusability of TCAET toward Au(Ⅲ)and Pd(Ⅱ)recovery.The conclusion can provide a certain reference for thiacalixarene in the recovery of precious metal species.

Distribution, health and ecological risk assessments of trace elements in Nigerian oil sands

The Nigerian oil sands represent the largest oil sand deposit in Africa, yet there is little published information on the distribution and potential health and ecological risks of trace elements in the oil resource. In the present study, we investigated the distribution pattern of 18trace elements(including biophile and chalcophile elements) as well as the estimated risks associated with exposure to these elements. The results of the study indicated that Fe was the most abundant element, with a mean concentration of 22,131 mg/kg while Br had the lowest mean concentration of 48 mg/kg. The high occurrence of Fe and Ti suggested a possible occurrence of ilmenite(Fe TiO_(3)) in the oil sands. Source apportionment using positive matrix factorization showed that the possible sources of detected elements in the oil sands were geogenic, metal production, and crustal. The contamination factor, geo-accumulation index, modified degree of contamination, pollution load index, and Nemerow pollution index indicated that the oil sands are heavily polluted by the elements. Health risk assessment showed that children were relatively more susceptible to the potentially toxic elements in the oil sands principally via ingestion exposure route(HQ > 1E-04). Cancer risks from inhalation are unlikely due to CR < 1E-06 but ingestion and dermal contact pose severe risks(CR > 1E-04). The high concentrations of the elements pose serious threats due to the potential for atmospheric transport, bioaccessibility, and bioavailability.

Rational design of vitamin C/defective carbon van der Waals heterostructure for enhanced activity,durability and storage stability toward oxygen reduction reaction

Metal-free defective carbon materials with abundant active sites have been widely studied as low-cost and efficient oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)electrocatalysts in metal-air batteries.However,the active sites in defective carbon are easily subjected to serious oxidation or hydroxylation during ORR or storage,leading to rapid degradation of activity.Herein,we design a van der Waals heterostructure comprised of vitamin C(VC)and defective carbon(DC)to not only boost the activity but also enhance the durability and storage stability of the DC-VC electrocatalyst.The formation of VC van der Waals between DC and VC is demonstrated to be an effective strategy to protect the defect active sites from oxidation and hydroxylation degradation,thus significantly enhancing the electrochemical durability and storage anti-aging performance.Moreover,the DC-VC van der Waals can reduce the reaction energy barrier to facilitate the ORR.These findings are also confirmed by operando Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations.It is necessary to mention that the preparation of this DC-VC electrocatalyst can be scaled up,and the ORR performance of the largely produced electrocatalyst is demonstrated to be very consistent.Furthermore,the DC-VC-based aluminum-air batteries display very competitive power density with good performance maintenance.

In situ infrared, Raman and X-ray spectroscopy for the mechanistic understanding of hydrogen evolution reaction

Hydrogen production by water reduction reactions has received considerable attention because hydrogen is considered a clean-energy carrier,key for a sustainable energy future.Computational methods have been widely used to study the reaction mechanism of the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER),but the calculation results need to be supported by experimental results and direct evidence to confirm the mechanistic insights.In this review,we discuss the fundamental principles of the in situ spectroscopic strategy and a theoretical model for a mechanistic understanding of the HER.In addition,we investigate recent studies by in situ Fourier transform infrared(FTIR),Raman spectroscopy,and X-ray absorption spectroscopy(XAS) and cover new findings that occur at the catalyst-electrolyte interface during HER.These spectroscopic strategies provide practical ways to elucidate catalyst phase,reaction intermediate,catalyst-electrolyte interface,intermediate binding energy,metal valency state,and coordination environment during HER.

Single-atom catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into hydrocarbons and oxygenates

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide offers a sound and economically viable technology for the electrification and decarbonization of the chemical and fuel industries.In this technology,an electrocatalytic material and renewable energy-generated electricity drive the conversion of carbon dioxide into high-value chemicals and carbon-neutral fuels.Over the past few years,single-atom catalysts have been intensively studied as they could provide near-unity atom utilization and unique catalytic performance.Single-atom catalysts have become one of the state-of-the-art catalyst materials for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide.However,it remains a challenge for single-atom catalysts to facilitate the efficient conversion of carbon dioxide into products beyond carbon monoxide.In this review,we summarize and present important findings and critical insights from studies on the electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction into hydrocarbons and oxygenates using single-atom catalysts.It is hoped that this review gives a thorough recapitulation and analysis of the science behind the catalysis of carbon dioxide into more reduced products through singleatom catalysts so that it can be a guide for future research and development on catalysts with industry-ready performance for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into high-value chemicals and carbon-neutral fuels.

Revealing the specific role of sulfide and nano-alumina in composite solid-state electrolytes for performance-reinforced ether-nitrile copolymers

Composite solid-state electrolytes represent a critical pathway that balances the interface compatibility and lithium-ion conductivity in all-solid-state batteries.The quest for stable and highly ion-conductive combinations between polymers and fillers is vital,but blind attempts are often made due to a lack of understanding of the mechanisms involved in the interaction between polymers and fillers.Herein,we employ in-situ polymerization to prepare a polymer based on an ether-nitrile copolymer with high cathode stability as the foundation and discuss the performance enhancement mechanisms of argyrodite and nano-alumina.With 1%content of sulfide interacting with the polymer at the two-phase interface,the local enhancement of lithium-ion migration capability can be achieved,avoiding the reduction in capacity due to the low ion conductivity of the passivation layer during cycling.The capacity retention after 50cycles at 0.5 C increases from 83.5%to 94.4%.Nano-alumina,through anchoring the anions and interface inhibition functions,eventually poses an initial discharge capacity of 136.8 m A h g^(-1)at 0.5 C and extends the cycling time to 1000 h without short-circuiting in lithium metal batteries.Through the combined action of dual fillers on the composite solid-state electrolyte,promising insights are provided for future material design.

MXenes for Bioinspired Soft Actuators:Advancements in Angle-Independent Structural Colors and Beyond

Soft actuators have garnered substantial attention in current years in view of their potential appliances in diverse domains like robotics,biomedical devices,and biomimetic systems.These actuators mimic the natural movements of living organisms,aiming to attain enhanced flexibility,adaptability,and versatility.On the other hand,angle-independent structural color has been achieved through innovative design strategies and engineering approaches.By carefully controlling the size,shape,and arrangement of nanostructures,researchers have been able to create materials exhibiting consistent colors regardless of the viewing angle.One promising class of materials that holds great potential for bioinspired soft actuators is MXenes in view of their exceptional mechanical,electrical,and optical properties.The integration of MXenes for bioinspired soft actuators with angle-independent structural color offers exciting possibilities.Overcoming material compatibility issues,improving color reproducibility,scalability,durability,power supply efficiency,and cost-effectiveness will play vital roles in advancing these technologies.This perspective appraises the development of bioinspired MXene-centered soft actuators with angleindependent structural color in soft robotics.

H-and J-aggregation of conjugated small molecules in organic solar cells

As H-and J-aggregation receive more and more attention in the research of organic solar cells(OSCs),especially in small molecular systems,deep understanding of aggregation behavior is needed to guide the design of conjugated small molecular structure and the fabrication process of OSC device.For this end,this review is written.Here,the review firstly introduced the basic information about H-and J-aggregation of conjugated small molecules in OSCs.Then,the characteristics of H-and J-aggregation and the methods to identify them were summarized.Next,it reviewed the research progress of H-and J-aggregation of conjugated small molecules in OSCs,including the factors influencing H-and J-aggregation in thin film and the effects of H-and J-aggregation on OPV performance.

A Review of Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries:Recent Progress and Future Perspectives

Zinc-air batteries(ZABs)are gaining attention as an ideal option for various applications requiring high-capacity batteries,such as portable electronics,electric vehicles,and renewable energy storage.ZABs offer advantages such as low environmental impact,enhanced safety compared to Li-ion batteries,and cost-effectiveness due to the abundance of zinc.However,early research faced challenges due to parasitic reactions at the zinc anode and slow oxygen redox kinetics.Recent advancements in restructuring the anode,utilizing alternative electrolytes,and developing bifunctional oxygen catalysts have significantly improved ZABs.Scientists have achieved battery reversibility over thousands of cycles,introduced new electrolytes,and achieved energy efficiency records surpassing 70%.Despite these achievements,there are challenges related to lower power density,shorter lifespan,and air electrode corrosion leading to performance degradation.This review paper discusses different battery configurations,and reaction mechanisms for electrically and mechanically rechargeable ZABs,and proposes remedies to enhance overall battery performance.The paper also explores recent advancements,applications,and the future prospects of electrically/mechanically rechargeable ZABs.

Combination of Nitrogen-Rich Skeleton and Coordination Group:Synthesis of a High-Energy Primary Explosive Based on 1H-Tetrazole-5-Carbohydrazide

The high energy coordination compounds Cu(TZCA)_(2)(ClO_(4))_(2)(ECCs-1) was prepared by 1H-tetrazole-5-carbohydrazide(TZCA) with a high energy skeleton and a strong coordination ability group.At the same time,the reaction activity of the ligand was explored,and the single crystal structure of it and intermediate were obtained.The structures of all substances were characterized by IR and EA.And the structure and composition of ECCs-1 are confirmed by ESP,AC,SEM and ICP-OES.Physical and chemical properties tests show that ECCs-1 has an acceptable thermal stability(T_(d)=177℃) and extremely sensitive mechanical stimulation(IS=1 J,FS=5 N).The comprehensive performance test results show that ECCs-1 has excellent initiation ability.In addition,the decomposition mechanism of ECCs-1 is explored from two aspects of experiment and theoretical calculation.

Cyanidin-3-glucoside protects the photooxidative damage of retinal pigment epithelium cells by regulating sphingolipid signaling and inhibiting MAPK pathway

Cyanidin-3-glucoside(C3G)is the most common anthocyanin in dark grains and berries and is a food functional factor to improve visual health.However,the mechanisms of C3G on blue light-induced retinal pigment epithelial(RPE)cell photooxidative damage needs further exploration.We investigated the effects of C3G on blue light-irradiated A2E-containing RPE cells and explored whether sphingolipid,mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK),and mitochondria-mediated pathways are involved in this mechanism.Blue light irradiation led to mitochondria and lysosome damage in RPE cells,whereas C3G preserved mitochondrial morphology and function and maintained the lysosomal integrity.C3G suppressed the phosphorylation of JNK and p38 MAPK and mitochondria-mediated pathways to inhibit RPE cell apoptosis.Lipidomics data showed that C3G protected RPE cells against blue light-induced lipid peroxidation and apoptosis by maintaining sphingolipids balance.C3G significantly inhibited ceramide(Cer d18:0/15:0,Cer d18:0/16:0 and Cer d18:0/18:0)accumulation and elevated galactosylceramide(GalCer d18:1/15:0 and GalCer d18:1/16:0)levels in the irradiated A2E-containing RPE cells.Furthermore,C3G attenuated cell membrane damage by increasing phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine levels.C3G inhibited apoptosis and preserved the structure of mitochondria and lysosome by regulating sphingolipid signaling and suppression of MAPK activation in RPE cells.Thus,dietary supplementation of C3G prevents retinal photooxidative damage.

Tb^(3+)-nucleic acid probe-based label-free and rapid detection of mercury pollution in food

Mercury is a threatening pollutant in food,herein,we developed a Tb^(3+)-nucleic acid probe-based label-free assay for mix-and-read,rapid detection of mercury pollution.The assay utilized the feature of light-up fluorescence of terbium ions(Tb^(3+))via binding with single-strand DNA.Mercury ion,Hg^(2+)induced thymine(T)-rich DNA strand to form a double-strand structure(T-Hg^(2+)-T),thus leading to fluorescence reduction.Based on the principle,Hg^(2+)can be quantified based on the fluorescence of Tb^(3+),the limit of detection was 0.0689μmol/L and the linear range was 0.1-6.0μmol/L.Due to the specificity of T-Hg^(2+)-T artificial base pair,the assay could distinguish Hg^(2+)from other metal ions.The recovery rate was ranged in 98.71%-101.34%for detecting mercury pollution in three food samples.The assay is low-cost,separation-free and mix-to-read,thus was a competitive tool for detection of mercury pollution to ensure food safety.

Conformational dynamics as an intrinsic determinant of prion protein misfolding and neurotoxicity

The prion protein(PrP) is the key molecular and pathological mediator of prion diseases,a heterogeneous group of brain disorders with fatal outcomes.Prion diseases are rare but deserve special attention because of their unique familial,sporadic,and transmissible etiologies,all caused by a single agent:misfolded conformations of PrP.

Step‑by‑Step Modulation of Crystalline Features and Exciton Kinetics for 19.2%Efficiency Ortho‑Xylene Processed Organic Solar Cells

With plenty of popular and effective ternary organic solar cells(OSCs)construction strategies proposed and applied,its power conversion efficiencies(PCEs)have come to a new level of over 19%in single-junction devices.However,previous studies are heavily based in chloroform(CF)leaving behind substantial knowledge deficiencies in understanding the influence of solvent choice when introducing a third component.Herein,we present a case where a newly designed asymmetric small molecular acceptor using fluoro-methoxylated end-group modification strategy,named BTP-BO-3FO with enlarged bandgap,brings different morphological evolution and performance improvement effect on host system PM6:BTP-eC9,processed by CF and ortho-xylene(o-XY).With detailed analyses supported by a series of experiments,the best PCE of 19.24%for green solvent-processed OSCs is found to be a fruit of finely tuned crystalline ordering and general aggregation motif,which furthermore nourishes a favorable charge generation and recombination behavior.Likewise,over 19%PCE can be achieved by replacing spin-coating with blade coating for active layer deposition.This work focuses on understanding the commonly met yet frequently ignored issues when building ternary blends to demonstrate cutting-edge device performance,hence,will be instructive to other ternary OSC works in the future.

Multinuclear MR and MRI study of lithium-ion cells using a variable field magnet and a fixed frequency RF probe

An exploratory multinuclear magnetic resonance(MR)and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)study was performed on lithium-ion battery cells with ^(7)Li,^(19)F,and ^(1)H measurements.A variable field superconducting magnet with a fixed frequency parallel-plate radiofrequency(RF)probe was employed in the study.The magnetic field was changed to set the resonance frequency of each nucleus to the fixed RF probe frequency of 33.7 MHz.Two cartridge-like lithium-ion cells,with graphite anodes and LiNi_(0.5)Mn_(0.3)Co_(0.2)O_(2)(NMC)cathodes,were interrogated.One cell was pristine,and one was charged to a cell voltage of 4.2 V.The results presented demonstrate the great potential of the variable field magnet approach in multinuclear measurement of lithium-ion batteries.These methods open the door for developing faster and simpler methods for detecting,quantifying,and interpreting MR and MRI data from lithium-ion and other batteries.