Suppressing dendritic metallic Li formation on graphite anode under battery fast charging

Lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)with fast-charging capability are essential for enhancing consumer experience and accelerating the global market adoption of electric vehicles.However,achieving fast-charging capability without compromising energy density,cycling lifespan,and safety of LIBs remains a significant challenge due to the formation of dendritic Li metal on graphite anode under fast charging condition.In view of this,the fundamentals for the dendritic metallic Li formation and the strategies for suppressing metallic Li plating based on analyzing the entire Li^(+)transport pathway at the anode including electrolyte,pore structure of electrode,and surface and bulk of materials are summarized and discussed in this review.Besides,we highlight the importance of designing thick electrodes with fast Li^(+)transport kinetics and comprehensively understanding the interaction between solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)and Li^(+)migration in order to avoid the formation of dendritic Li metal in practical fast-charging batteries.Finally,the regulation of Li metal plating with plane morphology,instead of dendritic structure,on the surface of graphite electrode under fast-charging condition is analyzed as a future direction to achieve higher energy density of batteries without safety concerns.

Efficient stochastic parallel gradient descent training for on-chip optical processor

In recent years,space-division multiplexing(SDM)technology,which involves transmitting data information on multiple parallel channels for efficient capacity scaling,has been widely used in fiber and free-space optical communication sys-tems.To enable flexible data management and cope with the mixing between different channels,the integrated reconfig-urable optical processor is used for optical switching and mitigating the channel crosstalk.However,efficient online train-ing becomes intricate and challenging,particularly when dealing with a significant number of channels.Here we use the stochastic parallel gradient descent(SPGD)algorithm to configure the integrated optical processor,which has less com-putation than the traditional gradient descent(GD)algorithm.We design and fabricate a 6×6 on-chip optical processor on silicon platform to implement optical switching and descrambling assisted by the online training with the SPDG algorithm.Moreover,we apply the on-chip processor configured by the SPGD algorithm to optical communications for optical switching and efficiently mitigating the channel crosstalk in SDM systems.In comparison with the traditional GD al-gorithm,it is found that the SPGD algorithm features better performance especially when the scale of matrix is large,which means it has the potential to optimize large-scale optical matrix computation acceleration chips.

Alcohol-dispersed polymer complex as an effective and durable interface modifier for n-i-p perovskite solar cells

Abundant interfacial defects remain a significant challenge that hampers both the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells(PSCs).Herein,an alcohol-dispersed conducting polymer complex,denoted as PEDOT:F(Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):Perfluorinated sulfonic acid ionomers),is introduced into the interface between perovskite and hole transporting layer in regular-structured PSCs.PEDOT:F serves as a multi-functional interface layer(filling grain boundaries and covering perovskite's grain-surface)to achieve a robust interaction with organic groups within perovskites,which could induce a structural transformation of PEDOT to increase its conductivity for the efficient hole-transport.Furthermore,the strong interaction between PEDOT and perovskites could promote an effective coupling of undercoordinated Pb~(2+)ions with the lone electron pairs near O&S atoms in PEDOT molecules,thereby enhancing defect passivation.Additionally,PEDOT:F with inherent hydrophobic properties prevents effectively moisture invasion into perovskites for the improved long-term stability of the PSCs.Consequently,the PEDOT:F-based PSCs achieved a champion efficiency of 24.81%,and maintained ca.92%of their initial efficiency after 7680 h of storage in a dry air environment,accompanied by the enhanced photothermal stability.

Stabilizing perovskite precursors with the reductive natural amino acid for printable mesoscopic perovskite solar cells

Solution processability significantly advances the development of highly-efficient perovskite solar cells.However,the precursor solution tends to undergo irreversible degradation reactions,impairing the device performance and reproducibility.Here,we utilize a reductive natural amino acid,Nacetylcysteine(NALC),to stabilize the precursor solution for printable carbon-based hole-conductorfree mesoscopic perovskite solar cells.We find that I_(2) can be generated in the aged solution containing methylammonium iodide(MI) in an inert atmosphere and speed up the MA-FA^(+)(formamidinium) reaction which produces large-size cations and hinders the formation of perovskite phase.NALC effectively stabilizes the precursor via its sulfhydryl group which reduces I_(2) back to I^(-)and provides H^(+).The NALC-stabilized precursor which is aged for 1440 h leads to devices with a power conversion efficiency equivalent to 98% of that for devices prepared with the fresh precursor.Furthermore,NALC improves the device power conversion efficiency from 16.16% to 18.41% along with enhanced stability under atmospheric conditions by modifying grain boundaries in perovskite films and reducing associated defects.

Tailored multifunctional hydrazine derivatives for efficient printable hole-conductive-free mesoscopic perovskite solar cells via enhancing defect passivation

The low-cost and easy large-scale fabrication advantages of printable mesoscopic perovskite solar cells(p-MPSCs)are overshadowed by their limited photovoltaic conversion efficiency(PCE).Here,we introduce the hydrazide derivative of 4-Hydroxybenzoylhydrazine(4-HBH)to improve the PCE of p-MPSCs by inducing enhanced defect passivation.Both carbonyl and hydrazine groups in hydrazide groups present strong interaction with perovskite.The hydroxyl group,as an electron donor group,increases the electron cloud density of the hydrazide group in 4-HBH under the conjugation of the benzene ring,and thus enhances its interaction with perovskite.Additionally,the hydroxy group itself interacts with perovskite and passivates defects synergistically.The hydrazine agents can also reduce I2and suppress the loss of iodine in perovskite films,which inhibits the formation of iodine-related defects.Consequently,p-MPSCs with 4-HBH achieve a high PCE of 19.21%,and present well improved stability.

Efficient concentration of trace analyte with ordered hotspot construction for a robust and sensitive SERS platform

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS)platform,which enables trace analyte detection,has important application prospects.By structuring/modifying the surface of the SERSsubstrate,analyte in highly diluted solutions can be concentrated into localized active areas for highly sensitive detection.However,subject to the difficulty of the fabrication process,itremains challenging to balance hot-spot construction and the concentration capacity of analyte simultaneously.Therefore,preparing SERS substrates with densely ordered hot spots andefficient concentration capacity is of great significance for highly sensitive detection.Herein,we propose an Ag and fluoroalkyl-modified hierarchical armour substrate(Ag/F-HA),which has a double-layer stacking design to combine analyte concentration with hotspot construction.The microarmour structure is fabricated by femtosecond-laser processing to serve as asuperhydrophobic and low-adhesive surface to concentrate analyte,while the anodic aluminium oxide(AAO)template creates a nanopillar array serving as dense and ordered hot spots.Under the synergistic action of hot spots and analyte concentration,Ag/F-HA achieves a detectionlimit down to 10^(-7)M doxorubicin(DOX)molecules with a RSD of 7.69%.Additionally,Ag/F-HA exhibits excellent robustness to resist external disturbances such as liquid splash or abrasion.Based on our strategy,SERS substrates with directional analyte concentrations are further explored by patterning microcone arrays with defects.This work opens a way to the realistic implementation of SERS in diverse scenarios.

A Self-Healing Optoacoustic Patch with High Damage Threshold and Conversion Efficiency for Biomedical Applications

Compared with traditional piezoelectric ultrasonic devices,optoacoustic devices have unique advantages such as a simple preparation process,anti-electromagnetic interference,and wireless long-distance power supply.However,current optoacoustic devices remain limited due to a low damage threshold and energy conversion efficiency,which seriously hinder their widespread applications.In this study,using a self-healing polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS,Fe-Hpdca-PDMS)and carbon nanotube composite,a flexible optoacoustic patch is developed,which possesses the self-healing capability at room temperature,and can even recover from damage induced by cutting or laser irradiation.Moreover,this patch can generate high-intensity ultrasound(>25 MPa)without the focusing structure.The laser damage threshold is greater than 183.44 mJ cm^(-2),and the optoacoustic energy conversion efficiency reaches a major achievement at 10.66×10^(-3),compared with other carbon-based nanomaterials and PDMS composites.This patch is also been successfully examined in the application of acoustic flow,thrombolysis,and wireless energy harvesting.All findings in this study provides new insight into designing and fabricating of novel ultrasound devices for biomedical applications.

High Efficiency Formamidinium-Cesium Perovskite-Based Radio-Photovoltaic Cells

Radio-photovoltaic cell is a micro nuclear battery for devices operating in extreme environments,which converts the decay energy of a radioisotope into electric energy by using a phosphor and a photovoltaic converter.Many phosphors with high light yield and good environmental stability have been developed,but the performance of radio-photovoltaic cells remains far behind expectations in terms of power density and power conversion efficiency,because of the poor photoelectric conversion efficiency of traditional photovoltaic converters under low-light conditions.This paper reports an radio-photovoltaic cell based on an intrinsically stable formamidinium-cesium perovskite photovoltaic converter exhibiting a wide light wavelength response from 300 to 800 nm,high open-circuit voltage(V_(oc)),and remarkable efficiency at low-light intensity.When a He ions accelerator is adopted as a mimickedαradioisotope source with an equivalent activity of 0.83 mCi cm^(-2),the formamidinium-cesium perovskite radio-photovoltaic cell achieves a V_(oc)of 0.498 V,a short-circuit current(J_(sc))of 423.94 nA cm^(-2),and a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 0.886%,which is 6.6 times that of the Si reference radio-photovoltaic cell,as well as the highest among all radio-photovoltaic cells reported so far.This work provides a theoretical basis for enhancing the performance of radio-photovoltaic cells.

Multiplexed stimulated emission depletion nanoscopy(mSTED)for 5-color live-cell long-term imaging of organelle interactome

Stimulated emission depletion microscopy(STED)holds great potential in biological science applications,especially in studying nanoscale subcellular structures.However,multi-color STED imaging in live-cell remains challenging due to the limited excitation wavelengths and large amount of laser radiation.Here,we develop a multiplexed live-cell STED method to observe more structures simultaneously with limited photo-bleaching and photo-cytotoxicity.By separating live-cell fluorescent probes with similar spectral properties using phasor analysis,our method enables five-color live-cell STED imaging and reveals long-term interactions between different subcellular structures.The results here provide an avenue for understanding the complex and delicate interactome of subcellular structures in live-cell.

Study of tree shrew biology and models: A booming and prosperous field for biomedical research

The tree shrew(Tupaia belangeri)has long been proposed as a suitable alternative to non-human primates(NHPs)in biomedical and laboratory research due to its close evolutionary relationship with primates.In recent years,significant advances have facilitated tree shrew studies,including the determination of the tree shrew genome,genetic manipulation using spermatogonial stem cells,viral vector-mediated gene delivery,and mapping of the tree shrew brain atlas.However,the limited availability of tree shrews globally remains a substantial challenge in the field.Additionally,determining the key questions best answered using tree shrews constitutes another difficulty.Tree shrew models have historically been used to study hepatitis B virus(HBV)and hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection,myopia,and psychosocial stress-induced depression,with more recent studies focusing on developing animal models for infectious and neurodegenerative diseases.Despite these efforts,the impact of tree shrew models has not yet matched that of rodent or NHP models in biomedical research.This review summarizes the prominent advancements in tree shrew research and reflects on the key biological questions addressed using this model.We emphasize that intensive dedication and robust international collaboration are essential for achieving breakthroughs in tree shrew studies.The use of tree shrews as a unique resource is expected to gain considerable attention with the application of advanced techniques and the development of viable animal models,meeting the increasing demands of life science and biomedical research.

Solvent engineering towards scalable fabrication of high-quality perovskite films for efficient solar modules

Over the last decade,remarkable progress has been made in metal halide perovskite solar cells(PSCs),which have been a focus of emerging photovoltaic techniques and show great potential for commercialization.However,the upscaling of small-area PSCs to large-area solar modules to meet the demands of practical applications remains a significant challenge.The scalable production of high-quality perovskite films by a simple,reproducible process is crucial for resolving this issue.Furthermore,the crystallization behavior in the solution-processed fabrication of perovskite films can be strongly influenced by the physicochemical properties of the precursor inks,which are significantly affected by the employed solvents and their interactions with the solutes.Thus,a comprehensive understanding of solvent engineering for fabricating perovskite films over large areas is urgently required.In this paper,we first analyze the role of solvents in the solution-processed fabrication of large-area perovskite films based on the classical crystal nucleation and growth mechanism.Recent efforts in solvent engineering to improve the quality of perovskite films for solar modules are discussed.Finally,the basic principles and future challenges of solvent system design for scalable fabrication of high-quality perovskite films for efficient solar modules are proposed.

Multi-foci metalens for spectra and polarization ellipticity recognition and reconstruction

Multispectral and polarized focusing and imaging are key functions that are vitally important for a broad range of optical applications.Conventional techniques generally require multiple shots to unveil desired optical information and are implemented via bulky multi-pass systems or mechanically moving parts that are difficult to integrate into compact and integrated optical systems.Here,a design of ultra-compact transversely dispersive metalens capable of both spectrum and polarization ellipticity recognition and reconstruction in just a single shot is demonstrated with both coherent and incoherent light.Our design is well suited for integrated and high-speed optical information analysis and can significantly reduce the size and weight of conventional devices while simplifying the process of collecting optical information,thereby promising for various applications,including machine vision,minimized spectrometers,material characterization,remote sensing,and other areas which require comprehensive optical analysis.

Diffusionless-Like Transformation Unlocks Pseudocapacitance with Bulk Utilization: Reinventing Fe_(2)O_(3) in Alkaline Electrolyte

Energy density can be substantially raised and even maximized if the bulk of an electrode material is fully utilized.Transition metal oxides based on conversion reaction mechanism are the imperative choice due to either constructing nanostructure or intercalation pseudocapacitance with their intrinsic limitations.However,the fully bulk utilization of transition metal oxides is hindered by the poor understanding of atomic-level conversion reaction mechanism,particularly it is largely missing at clarifying how the phase transformation(conversion reaction)determines the electrochemical performance such as power density and cyclic stability.Herein,α-Fe_(2)O_(3) is a case provided to claim how the diffusional and diffusionless transformation determine the electrochemical behaviors,as of its conversion reaction mechanism with fully bulk utilization in alkaline electrolyte.Specifically,the discharge productα-FeOOH diffusional from Fe(OH)2 is structurally identified as the atomic-level arch criminal for its cyclic stability deterioration,whereas the counterpartδ-FeOOH is theoretically diffusionless-like,unlocking the full potential of the pseudocapacitance with fully bulk utilization.Thus,such pseudocapacitance,in proof-of-concept and termed as conversion pseudocapacitance,is achieved via diffusionless-like transformation.This work not only provides an atomic-level perspective to reassess the potential electrochemical performance of the transition metal oxides electrode materials based on conversion reaction mechanism but also debuts a new paradigm for pseudocapacitance.

Integrated photonic convolution acceleration core for wearable devices

With the advancement of deep learning and neural networks,the computational demands for applications in wearable devices have grown exponentially.However,wearable devices also have strict requirements for long battery life,low power consumption,and compact size.In this work,we propose a scalable optoelectronic computing system based on an integrated optical convolution acceleration core.This system enables high-precision computation at the speed of light,achieving 7-bit accuracy while maintaining extremely low power consumption.It also demonstrates peak throughput of 3.2 TOPS(tera operations per second)in parallel processing.We have successfully demonstrated image convolution and the typical application of an interactive first-person perspective gesture recognition application based on depth information.The system achieves a comparable recognition accuracy to traditional electronic computation in all blind tests.

Cerebrovascular segmentation from mesoscopic optical images using Swin Transformer

Vascular segmentation is a crucial task in biomedical image processing,which is significant for analyzing and modeling vascular networks under physiological and pathological states.With advances in fluorescent labeling and mesoscopic optical techniques,it has become possible to map the whole-mouse-brain vascular networks at capillary resolution.However,segmenting vessels from mesoscopic optical images is a challenging task.The problems,such as vascular signal discontinuities,vessel lumens,and background fluorescence signals in mesoscopic optical images,belong to global semantic information during vascular segmentation.Traditional vascular segmentation methods based on convolutional neural networks(CNNs)have been limited by their insufficient receptive fields,making it challenging to capture global semantic information of vessels and resulting in inaccurate segmentation results.Here,we propose SegVesseler,a vascular segmentation method based on Swin Transformer.SegVesseler adopts 3D Swin Transformer blocks to extract global contextual information in 3D images.This approach is able to maintain the connectivity and topology of blood vessels during segmentation.We evaluated the performance of our method on mouse cerebrovascular datasets generated from three different labeling and imaging modalities.The experimental results demonstrate that the segmentation effect of our method is significantly better than traditional CNNs and achieves state-of-the-art performance.

The comparison of manganese spectral lines for self-absorption reduction in LIBS using laser-induced fluorescence

The detection of manganese(Mn)in steel by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy(LIBS)provides essential information for steelmaking.However,self-absorption greatly disrupts the LIBS spectral lines of Mn with high content.In this study,to minimize self-absorption for Mn spectral lines in LIBS,laser-induced fluorescence(LIF)was applied.Compared with conventional LIBS,the self-absorption factors(α)of Mn I 403.08,403.31,and 403.45 nm lines were reduced by 90%,88%,and 88%,respectively;the root mean square errors of crossvalidation were decreased by 88%,85%,and 87%,respectively;the average relative errors were reduced by 93%,90%,and 91%,respectively;and average relative standard deviations were decreased by 29%,32%,and 33%,respectively.The LIBS-LIF was shown to successfully minimize the self-absorption effect and spectral intensity fluctuation and improve detection accuracy.

A rabies virus-based toolkit for efficient retrograde labeling and monosynaptic tracing

Analyzing the structure and function of the brain's neural network is critical for identifying the working principles of the brain and the mechanisms of brain diseases.Recombinant rabies viral vectors allow for the retrograde labeling of projection neurons and cell type-specific trans-monosynaptic tracing,making these vectors powerful candidates for the dissection of synaptic inputs.Although several attenuated rabies viral vectors have been developed,their application in studies of functional networks is hindered by the long preparation cycle and low yield of these vectors.To overcome these limitations,we developed an improved production system for the rapid rescue and preparation of a high-titer CVS-N2c-ΔG virus.Our results showed that the new CVS-N2c-ΔG-based toolkit performed remarkably:(1)N2cG-coated CVS-N2c-ΔG allowed for efficient retrograde access to projection neurons that were unaddressed by rAAV9-Retro,and the efficiency was six times higher than that of rAAV9-Retro;(2)the trans-monosynaptic efficiency of oG-mediated CVS-N2c-ΔG was 2–3 times higher than that of oG-mediated SAD-B19-ΔG;(3)CVS-N2c-ΔG could delivery modified genes for neural activity monitoring,and the time window during which this was maintained was 3 weeks;and(4)CVS-N2c-ΔG could express sufficient recombinases for efficient transgene recombination.These findings demonstrate that new CVS-N2c-ΔG-based toolkit may serve as a versatile tool for structural and functional studies of neural circuits.

Bioresource Upgrade for Sustainable Energy,Environment,and Biomedicine

We conceptualize bioresource upgrade for sustainable energy,environment,and biomedicine with a focus on circular economy,sustainability,and carbon neutrality using high availability and low utilization biomass(HALUB).We acme energy-efficient technologies for sustainable energy and material recovery and applications.The technologies of thermochemical conversion(TC),biochemical conversion(BC),electrochemical conversion(EC),and photochemical conversion(PTC)are summarized for HALUB.Microalgal biomass could contribute to a biofuel HHV of 35.72 MJ Kg^(-1)and total benefit of 749$/ton biomass via TC.Specific surface area of biochar reached 3000 m^(2)g^(-1)via pyrolytic carbonization of waste bean dregs.Lignocellulosic biomass can be effectively converted into bio-stimulants and biofertilizers via BC with a high conversion efficiency of more than 90%.Besides,lignocellulosic biomass can contribute to a current density of 672 mA m^(-2)via EC.Bioresource can be 100%selectively synthesized via electrocatalysis through EC and PTC.Machine learning,techno-economic analysis,and life cycle analysis are essential to various upgrading approaches of HALUB.Sustainable biomaterials,sustainable living materials and technologies for biomedical and multifunctional applications like nano-catalysis,microfluidic and micro/nanomotors beyond are also highlighted.New techniques and systems for the complete conversion and utilization of HALUB for new energy and materials are further discussed.

Specialty optical fibers for advanced sensing applications

Optical fiber technology has changed the world by enabling extraordinary growth in world-wide communications and sensing.The rapid development and wide deployment of optical fiber sensors are driven by their excellent sensing performance with outstanding flexibility,functionality,and versatility.Notably,the research on specialty optical fibers is playing a critical role in enabling and proliferating the optical fiber sensing applications.This paper overviews recent developments in specialty optical fibers and their sensing applications.The specialty optical fibers are reviewed based on their innovations in special structures,special materials,and technologies to realize lab in/on a fiber.An overview of sensing applications in various fields is presented.The prospects and emerging research areas of specialty optical fibers are also discussed.

Enhancement and recovery of photoluminescence and stability by multifunctional etching ligands treatment for perovskite nanocrystals

Perovskite nanocrystals(PNCs)have recently become promising optoelectronic materials due to their excellent photophysical properties.However,the highly dynamic binding state between ligands and the surface of PNCs has severely restricted their luminescent properties and stabilities.In this work,1,3-bisbenzyl-2-oxoimidazolidine-4,5-dicarboxylic acid(cycle acid,CA)is introduced as both an etchant and a ligand upon post-synthetic surface treatment of PNCs.By removing the imperfect octahedrons[Pb X_(6)]^(4-)and passivating the surface defects synergistically,this treatment improves photoluminescence quantum yields from 76%to 95%and enhances the stability of PNCs against polar solvent,moisture,heat,and illumination.Meanwhile,CA can effectively and instantly recover the luminescence emission for aged PNCs.As a result,the CA-Cs Pb Br_(3)PNCs and CA-Cs Pb IxBr_(3-x)PNCs are applied as color-converting layers on a blue LED chip for warm white light-emitting diodes(WLEDs)with a color coordinate of(0.41,0.40).Importantly,the CA-based WLED device exhibits superior stability in operational conditions.