Linear paired electrolysis of furfural to furoic acid at both anode and cathode in a multiple redox mediated system

Implementing a new energy-saving electrochemical synthesis system with high commercial value is a strategy of the sustainable development for upgrading the bulk chemicals preparation technology in the future.Here,we report a multiple redox-mediated linear paired electrolysis system,combining the hydrogen peroxide mediated cathode process with the I2 mediated anode process,and realize the conversion of furfural to furoic acid in both side of the dividedflow cell simultaneously.By reasonably controlling the cathode potential,the undesired water splitting reaction and furfural reduction side reactions are avoided.Under the galvanostatic electrolysis,the two-mediated electrode processes have good compatibility,which reduce the energy consumption by about 22%while improving the electronic efficiency by about 125%.This system provides a green electrochemical synthesis route with commercial prospects.

A new horizontal in C1 chemistry: Highly selective conversion of syngas to light olefins by a novel OX-ZEO process

The most challenging goal of C1 chemistry is the control of C–C coupling to produce chemicals or fuels from C1 feedstocks,in particular syngas（H2/CO）,which can be derived from various carbon resources such as coal,natural gas or shale gas,and biomass.

The Critical Role of Fillers in Composite Polymer Electrolytes for Lithium Battery

With excellent energy densities and highly safe performance,solidstate lithium batteries(SSLBs)have been hailed as promising energy storage devices.Solid-state electrolyte is the core component of SSLBs and plays an essential role in the safety and electrochemical performance of the cells.Composite polymer electrolytes(CPEs)are considered as one of the most promising candidates among all solid-state electrolytes due to their excellent comprehensive performance.In this review,we briefly introduce the components of CPEs,such as the polymer matrix and the species of fillers,as well as the integration of fillers in the polymers.In particular,we focus on the two major obstacles that affect the development of CPEs:the low ionic conductivity of the electrolyte and high interfacial impedance.We provide insight into the factors influencing ionic conductivity,in terms of macroscopic and microscopic aspects,including the aggregated structure of the polymer,ion migration rate and carrier concentration.In addition,we also discuss the electrode-electrolyte interface and summarize methods for improving this interface.It is expected that this review will provide feasible solutions for modifying CPEs through further understanding of the ion conduction mechanism in CPEs and for improving the compatibility of the electrode-electrolyte interface.

Status and Opportunities of Zinc Ion Hybrid Capacitors: Focus on Carbon Materials, Current Collectors, and Separators

Zinc ion hybrid capacitors(ZIHCs), which integrate the features of the high power of supercapacitors and the high energy of zinc ion batteries, are promising competitors in future electrochemical energy storage applications. Carbon-based materials are deemed the competitive candidates for cathodes of ZIHC due to their cost-effectiveness, high electronic conductivity, chemical inertness, controllable surface states, and tunable pore architectures. In recent years, great research efforts have been devoted to further improving the energy density and cycling stability of ZIHCs. Reasonable modification and optimization of carbon-based materials offer a remedy for these challenges. In this review, the structural design, and electrochemical properties of carbon-based cathode materials with different dimensions, as well as the selection of compatible, robust current collectors and separators for ZIHCs are discussed. The challenges and prospects of ZIHCs are showcased to guide the innovative development of carbon-based cathode materials and the development of novel ZIHCs.

Construction of strong built-in electric field in binary metal sulfide heterojunction to propel high-loading lithium-sulfur batteries

The practical application of lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries is greatly hindered by soluble polysulfides shuttling and sluggish sulfur redox kinetics.Rational design of multifunctional hybrid materials with superior electronic conductivity and high electrocatalytic activity,e.g.,heterostructures,is a promising strategy to solve the above obstacles.Herein,a binary metal sulfide MnS-MoS_(2) heterojunction electrocatalyst is first designed for the construction of high-sulfur-loaded and durable Li-S batteries.The MnS-MoS_(2) p-n heterojunction shows a unique structure of MoS_(2) nanosheets decorated with ample MnS nanodots,which contributes to the formation of a strong built-in electric field at the two-phase interface.The MnS-MoS_(2) hybrid host shows strong soluble polysulfide affinity,enhanced electronic conductivity,and exceptional catalytic effect on sulfur reduction.Benefiting from the synergistic effect,the as-derived S/MnS-MoS_(2) cathode delivers a superb rate capability(643 m A h g^(-1)at 6 C)and a durable cyclability(0.048%decay per cycle over 1000 cycles).More impressively,an areal capacity of 9.9 m A h cm^(-2)can be achieved even under an extremely high sulfur loading of 14.7 mg cm^(-2)and a low electrolyte to sulfur ratio of 2.9μL mg^(-1).This work provides an in-depth understanding of the interfacial catalytic effect of binary metal compound heterojunctions on sulfur reaction kinetics.

Research perspectives for catalytic valorization of biomass

Efficient utilization of biomass for the supply of energy and synthetic materials would mitigate the heavy reliance on fossil resources and the growing CO_(2) emission, thus contributing to establishing sustainable and carbon–neutral societies. Much effort has been devoted to catalytic transformations of lignocellulosic biomass, the most abundant and nonedible form of biomass.

Recently deepened insights regarding Mg corrosion and advanced engineering applications of Mg alloys

This review summarizes recent insights into the Mg corrosion mechanism, clarifies many critical controversial points regarding the Mg corrosion behaviour, and updates some efforts made to extend the industrial application of Mg alloys. Based on the new understandings gained so far, future research directions are also suggested in the review. This review has the following logic. The first section "1. Scope"is a consolidation of the new understandings or developments regarding the Mg corrosion mechanism and the new applications for Mg alloys. It also highlights some key points for the review. The second section "2. Widely accepted knowledge" briefly summarizes the general understanding of Mg corrosion gained so far, which acts as the foundation for the following sections. The third section "3. Recently deepened insights" mainly briefs on some new insights into Mg corrosion phenomena based on recent findings. Different interpretations on the corrosion behaviours are comprehensively discussed in the fourth section "4. Controversial points" and the conclusions are drawn in the subsection"4.5 Clarified points". Apart from the fundamental understandings, various efforts in the application of Mg alloys are presented in the fifth section "5. New applications". Following the research tendency as indicated in the review, prioritized research areas are suggested in "6.Future directions". The review is concluded with "7. Concluding remarks" at last.

Self-repairing functionality and corrosion resistance of in-situ Mg-Al LDH film on Al-alloyed AZ31 surface

A novel Mg-Al LDH film was in-situ prepared hydrothermally in an alkaline aqueous solution on an Al-alloyed AZ31 substrate.The structural,chemical and functional characteristics of the film were explored by means of scanning electron microscope(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),energy dispersive spectrometer(EDS),polarization curve,AC impedance and salt immersion tests,respectively.The anti-corrosion results indicated that the Mg-Al LDH film on the Al-alloyed AZ31 surface could effectively protect the AZ31 from corrosion attack even after 90 days of immersion in 3.5 wt.%NaCl solution.The protection performance is surprisingly better than most of the reported coatings on Mg alloys.More interestingly,when the Mg-Al LDH film was scratched,the exposed Al-alloyed surface might gradually release metal ions and re-generate dense LDH nano-sheets in the corrosive environment to inhibit the further corrosion there,exhibiting a self-repairing behavior.The combination of the benign long-term protection and desirable self-repairing performance in this new process of surface-alloying and LDH-formation may significantly extend the practical application of magnesium alloys.

In situ characterizations of advanced electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries toward high electrochemical performances

Energy storage is an ever-growing global concern due to increased energy needs and resource exhaustion.Sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)have called increasing attention and achieved substantial progress in recent years owing to the abundance and even distribution of Na resources in the crust,and the predicted low cost of the technique.Nevertheless,SIBs still face challenges like lower energy density and inferior cycling stability compared to mature lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).Enhancing the electrochemical performance of SIBs requires an in-deep and comprehensive understanding of the improvement strategies and the underlying reaction mechanism elucidated by in situ techniques.In this review,commonly applied in situ techniques,for instance,transmission electron microscopy(TEM),Raman spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction(XRD),and X-ray absorption near-edge structure(XANES),and their applications on the representative cathode and anode materials with selected samples are summarized.We discuss the merits and demerits of each type of material,strategies to enhance their electrochemical performance,and the applications of in situ characterizations of them during the de/sodiation process to reveal the underlying reaction mechanism for performance improvement.We aim to elucidate the composition/structure-per formance relationship to provide guidelines for rational design and preparation of electrode materials toward high electrochemical performance.

Recent advances of bismuth-based electrocatalysts for CO_(2)reduction:Strategies,mechanism and applications

Electrocatalytic CO_(2)reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR),driven by clean electric energy such as solar and wind,can not only alleviate environmental greenhouse effect stemming from excessive CO_(2)emissions,but also realize the storage of renewable energy,for it guarantees the production of value-added chemicals and fuels.Among CO_(2)RR products,formic acid shows great advantages in low energy consumption and high added-value,and thus producing formic acid is generally considered as a profitable line for CO_(2)RR.Bismuth-based electrocatalysts exhibit high formic acid selectivity in CO_(2)RR.Herein,we review the recent progress in bismuth-based electrocatalysts for CO_(2)RR,including material synthesis,performance optimization/validation,and electrolyzers.The effects of morphologies,structure,and composition of bismuth-based electrocatalysts on CO_(2)RR performance are highlighted.Simultaneously,in situ spectroscopic characterization and DFT calculations for reaction mechanism of CO_(2)RR on Bi-based catalysts are emphasized.The applications and optimization of electrolyzers with high current density for CO_(2)RR are summarized.Finally,conclusions and future directions in this field are prospected.

Investigation of photoelectrocatalytic degradation mechanism of methylene blue by a-Fe_(2)O_(3) nanorods array

Efficiently and thoroughly degrading organic dyes in wastewater is of great importance and challenge.Herein,vertically oriented mesoporous a-Fe_(2)O_(3)nanorods array(a-Fe_(2)O_(3)-NA)is directly grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide(FTO)glass and employed as the photoanode for photoelectrocatalytic degradation of methylene blue simulated dye wastewater.The Ovsites on the a-Fe_(2)O_(3)-NA surface are the active sites for methylene blue(MB)adsorption.Electrons transfer from the adsorbed MB to Fe-O is detected.Compared with electrocatalytic and photocatalytic degradation processes,the photoelectrocatalytic(PEC)process exhibited the best degrading performance and the largest kinetic constant.Hydroxyl,superoxide free radicals,and photo-generated holes play a jointly leading role in the PEC degradation.A possible degrading pathway is suggested by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis.This work demonstrates that photoelectrocatalysis by a-Fe_(2)O_(3)-NA has a remarkable superiority over photocatalysis and electrocatalysis in MB degradation.The in-depth investigation of photoelectrocatalytic degradation mechanism in this study is meaningful for organic wastewater treatment.

An efficient electrocatalytic system composed of nickel oxide and nitroxyl radical for the oxidation of bio-platform molecules to dicarboxylic acids

Selective oxidation of biomass and its derivatives to dicarboxylic acids represents a promising route for biomass valorization.However,the co-presence of multiple functional groups in biomass molecules makes the selective oxidation of particular functional a challenging task.Here,we demonstrate an efficient electrocatalytic system consisting of nickel oxide(NiO)and a nitroxyl radical,i.e.,2,2,6,6-tetrame thylpiperidine-1-oxyl(TEMPO)or 4-acetamido-TEMPO(ACT),for the selective oxidation of key bioplatform molecules including glucose,xylose and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF)into corresponding dicarboxylic acids,i.e.,glucaric acid,xylaric acid,and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid(FDCA).NiO is clarified as the active catalyst for the oxidation of aldehyde in bio-platform molecules to carboxylic acid,while TEMPO or ACT is responsible for the oxidation of primary alcohol to aldehyde.The combination of NiO and TEMPO or ACT significantly accelerated the tandem oxidation of aldehyde and hydroxyl groups in glucose,xylose and HMF,thus achieving excellent yields(83%-99%)of dicarboxylic acids.Moreover,the combination catalyst enables the selective oxidation of glucose and xylose with high concentrations(e.g.,20 wt%),which offers a promising strategy for biomass valorization.

Bio-inhibitive effect of an algal symbiotic bacterium on corrosion of magnesium in marine environment

It is a longstanding and challenging task to develop sustainable environment-friendly and cost-effective corrosion-protection technologies for Mg alloys, especially under marine conditions in which corrosion can normally be significantly accelerated by bacterial activity. However,this paper reports on the corrosion of highly active Mg interestingly inhibited by an algal-symbiotic bacterium Bacillus altitudinis. The corrosion of Mg in the presence of the bacterium drastically reduced by one order of magnitude after 14 days of immersion. This means that the algal-symbiotic bacterium widely available in natural ocean environments may be employed as a green and sustainable inhibitor in the marine industry. Based on electrochemical measurements, surface analyses and microbe experiments, a combined inhibition mechanism is proposed in the paper to interpret the interesting corrosion behavior of Mg.

Deep learning for determining pure isotropic proton spectra from solidstate spectra

Recently,an article on ^(1)H solid-state NMR spectra was published,in which the authors proposed a deep learning approach to infer the pure isotropic proton NMR spectra obtained at an infinite magic angle spinning(MAS)rate.This approach even allowed to obtain,by far,the best resolved ^(1)H spectra of molecular solids[1](https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202216607).Deep learning based artificial intelligence is developing rapidly,and its application is deepening.Currently,there are many applications of deep learning in the field of magnetic resonance,such as the reconstruction of the under-sampled multidimensional spectra[2-4],the deconvolution of two-dimensional NMR spectra[5]and noise suppression and weak peak retrial[6],etc.

Exploring the Cation Regulation Mechanism for Interfacial Water Involved in the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction by In Situ Raman Spectroscopy

Interfacial water molecules are the most important participants in the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).Hence,understanding the behavior and role that interfacial water plays will ultimately reveal the HER mechanism.Unfortunately,investigating interfacial water is extremely challenging owing to the interference caused by bulk water molecules and complexity of the interfacial environment.Here,the behaviors of interfacial water in different cationic electrolytes on Pd surfaces were investigated by the electrochemistry,in situ core-shell nanostructure enhanced Raman spectroscopy and theoretical simulation techniques.Direct spectral evidence reveals a red shift in the frequency and a decrease in the intensity of interfacial water as the potential is shifted in the positively direction.When comparing the different cation electrolyte systems at a given potential,the frequency of the interfacial water peak increases in the specified order:Li+<Na^(+)<K^(+)<Ca^(2+)<Sr^(2+).The structure of interfacial water was optimized by adjusting the radius,valence,and concentration of cation to form the two-H down structure.This unique interfacial water structure will improve the charge transfer efficiency between the water and electrode further enhancing the HER performance.Therefore,local cation tuning strategies can be used to improve the HER performance by optimizing the interfacial water structure.

Catalytic conversion of cellulose-based biomass and glycerol to lactic acid

Catalytic transformation of cellulose into value-added chemicals is of great importance for utilization of renewable and abundant biomass. Due to the high oxygen content, cellulose serves as an ideal candidate for the production of oxygenates, in particular lactic acid which is a versatile building block in chemical industry. The efficient conversion of cellulose to lactic acid generally requires selective activation of specific C-O and C-C bonds, and therefore multifunctional catalysts that combine several key reactions including hydrolysis, isomerization and retro-aldol fragmentation are highly desirable. This review article highlights the recently developed catalytic systems and catalysts for the selective transformation of cellulose and cellulose-derived carbohydrates into lactic acid, lactates and/or its esters. Emphases will be put on the reaction mechanism and key factors that exert effects on the catalytic performances. In addition, the catalytic transformation of glycerol, a C3 compound over-supplied from biodiesel industry, will also be surveyed. Recent advances in the development of new catalysts or strategies are analyzed and discussed to gain insight into the transformation of C3 compound to lactic acid.

Additive effects of alkaline-earth metals and nickel on the performance of Co/γ-Al_2O_3 in methane catalytic partial oxidation

Nano-sized γ-alumina （γ-Al2O3） was first prepared by a precipitation method. Then, active component of cobalt and a series of alkaline- earth metal promoters or nickel （Ni） with different contents were loaded on the γ-Al2O3 support. The catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction （XRD） and thermogravimetry analysis （TGA）. The activity and selectivity of the catalysts in catalytic partial oxidation （CPO） of methane have been compared with Co/γ-Al2O3, and it is found that the catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability are enhanced by the addition of alkaline-earth metals and nickel. The optimal loadings of strontium （Sr） and Ni were 6 and 4 wt%, respectively. This finding will be helpful in designing the trimetallic Co-Ni-Sr/γ-Al2O3 catalysts with high performance in CPO of methane

Novel MWCNT-Support for Co-Mo Sulfide Catalyst in HDS of Thiophene and HDN of Pyrrole

With home-made multi-walled carbon nanotubes （MWCNTs, simplified as CNTs in later text） as support, CNT-supported Co-Mo-S catalysts, denoted as x%（mass percentage）MoiCoj/CNTs, were prepared. Their catalytic performance for thiophene hydrodesulfurization （HDS） and pyrrole hydrodenitrification （HDN） reactions was studied, and compared with the reference system sup- ported by AC. Over the 7.24%Mo3Co1/CNTs catalyst at reaction condition of 1.5 MPa, 613 K, C4H4S/H2=3.7/96.3（molar ratio） and GHSV≈8000 mlswP/（g-cat.h）, the specific HDS activity of thiophene reached 3.29 mmolc4H4S/（s.molMo）, which was 1.32 times as high as that （2.49 mmolc4H4S/（s.molMo）） of the AC-based counterpart, and was 2.47 times as high as that （1.33 mmolc4H4S/（s-molMo）） of the catalysts supported by AC with the respective optimal MoaCol-loading amount, 16.90%Mo3Co1/AC. Analogous reaction-chemical behaviours were also observed in the case of pyrrole HDN. It was experimentally found that using the CNTs in place of AC as support of the catalyst caused little change in the apparent activation energy for the thiophene HDS or pyrrole HDN reaction, but led to a significant increase in the concentration of catalytically active Mo-species （Mo^4＋） at the surface of the functioning catalyst. On the other hand, H2-TPD measurements revealed that the CNT-supported catalyst could reversibly adsorb a greater amount of hydrogen under atmospheric pressure at temperatures ranging from room temperature to about 673 K. This unique feature would help to generate microenvironments with higher stationarystate concentration of active hydrogen-adspecies at the surface of the functioning catalyst. Both factors mentioned above were favorable to increasing the rate of thiophene HDS and pyrrole HDN reactions.

In situ growth of 3D walnut-like nano-architecture Mo-Ni2P@NiFeLDH/NF arrays for synergistically enhanced overall water splitting

The in situ growth of nano-array on material structure is a novel and high-efficient strategy to design catalysts,however,it still remains a challenge to fabricate unique nano-architecture electrocatalyst with prominent activity and superior durability for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).Herein,a unique nano-architecture catalyst is successfully synthesized by using NiFe LDH nanosheets as framework to the in situ growth Mo-doped Ni2 P ultrafine nanosheets(marked as Mo-Ni2 P@NiFe LDH/NF).The unique 3 D core-shell nano-architecture is favorable for enhancing electron transfer/mass diffusion,providing abundant active sites,prompting O2/H2 gas release,and creating the synergistic effect between Mo-Ni2 P and NiFe LDH.Therefore,comparing with pure NiFe LDH/NF and MoNi2 P/NF electrodes,walnut-like Mo-Ni2 P@Ni Fe LDH/NF catalyst exhibits significantly improved electrocatalytic activities and durability towards OER(269 m V@40 m A cm^-2),HER(82 mV@10 mA cm^-2),and overall water splitting(1.46 V@10 m A cm^-2),respectively.Such electrocatalytic activity of Mo-Ni2 P@NiFe LDH/NF is comparable with that of majority reported non-precious metal catalysts and even precious catalysts(IrO2 and Pt/C).This work presents a new perspective strategy to fabricate ingeniously bifunctional electrocatalysts with well-designed structure and superior performance for clean energy conversion technologies or storage devices.

The application of nanostructured transition metal sulfides as anodes for lithium ion batteries

With wide application of electric vehicles and large-scale in energy storage systems, the requirement ofsecondary batteries with higher power density and better safety gets urgent. Owing to the merits of hightheoretical capacity, relatively low cost and suitable discharge voltage, much attention has been paid tothe transition metal sulfides. Recently, a large amount of research papers have reported about the appli-cation of transition metal sulfides in lithium ion batteries. However, the practical application of transitionmetal sulfides is still impeded by their fast capacity fading and poor rate performance. More well-focusedresearches should be operated towards the commercialization of transition metal sulfides in lithium ionbatteries. In this review, recent development of using transition metal sulfides such as copper sulfides,molybdenum sulfides, cobalt sulfides, and iron sulfides as electrode materials for lithium ion batteriesis presented. In addition, the electrochemical reaction mechanisms and synthetic strategy of transitionmetal sulfides are briefly summarized. The critical issues, challenges, and perspectives providing a fur-ther understanding of the associated electrochemical processes are also discussed.