Biologically Encapsulating Gold Nanoclusters: Exploring the Bioinspiration Strategy for Preparing Advanced Electrode Materials.

Engineered nanoparticles and nanoplastics have emerged as a category of pollutants that, when present in the environment, could be absorbed and accumulated by plant systems. This study demonstrates a way of using live wheat () to take up and collect gold nanoclusters and nanopolystyrene and eliminate them, and the harvested biomass is then processed into carbon compounds for energy storage applications. This methodology not only enables the straightforward encapsulation of gold nanoclusters but also utilizes absorbable nanopolystyrene to create pores during carbonization.

Realizing chemical adsorption mechanism for stabilizing zinc anode instead of physical adsorption by adding dicarboxylic acids in electrolyte.

Dendritic growth, hydrogen evolution reaction, and passivation of zinc anode severely limit the practical use of zinc metal batteries. Developing acidic electrolyte additives is capable of markedly augmenting the stability of zinc anode. However, the adsorption type of acidic additives on zinc anode is still unclear and its mechanism of stabilizing zinc anode needs to be further studied.

Modulating affinity/repulsion levels for suppressing shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides in lithium-sulfur batteries.

The demand for high energy density and reasonably priced energy storage devices is growing as long-distance vehicles evolve. Due to their high energy density, lithium‑sulfur batteries are one of the top contenders for next-generation energy storage systems. However, the shuttle effect brought on by solvent lithium polysulfides prevents the commercialization of the widely used lithium‑sulfur batteries utilizing ether electrolytes.

A Self-Adhesive Integrated Supercapacitors Integrated by Full Macromolecules for Implantable Applications.

Flexible supercapacitors have become the top choice for wearable and implantable devices due to their stretchable mechanical adaptability and safety. However, in the current research situation, flexible supercapacitors still face many problems such as insufficient biocompatibility, lack of adhesiveness, or unstable interfaces. In this work, gelatin and polyacrylamide, which possess good biocompatibility, high water retention capacity, and good flexibility, are selected to construct a double-network hydrogel matrix.

A Hydrogel Implantable Supercapacitor with Tissue-Adhesive Using PEDOT:PSS as Active Material.

Implantable biomedical supercapacitors represent a critical advancement in modern biomedical engineering, offering an optimal power solution for implantable medical devices due to their exceptional characteristics. However, achieving supercapacitors that concurrently exhibit tissue adhesiveness and biocompatibility remains a significant research challenge. In this study, the DMSO post-treatment method is employed to enhance the condensed state structure of the conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS, which results in a significant improvement in the electrochemical performance of the supercapacitor embedded within the poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel matrix.

Designing Amino Functionalized Titanium-Organic Framework on Separators Toward Sieving and Redistribution of Polysulfides in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Shuttle effect of polysulfides overshadows the superiorities of lithium-sulfur batteries. Size-sieving effect could address this thorny trouble rely on size differ in polysulfides and lithium ions. However, clogged polysulfides pose some challenges for cathode and are rarely recycled during charging/discharging.

Nanofiltration Membrane via Organic Nanoparticle-Assisted Interface Polymerization for Efficient Dye/Salt Separation.

Nanofiltration membranes have the advantages of high flux and good selectivity, making them ideal materials for solving water resource pollution and scarcity; however, the mechanism of interface polymer membrane wrinkling induced by nanofillers is not clear, and the low flux of interface polymer membranes is a pressing issue for researchers. In this work, superhydrophilic l-histidine-modified nanoparticles are successfully synthesized and added to the interface polymerization process, where the nanoparticles also participate in the interface polymerization reaction, inducing interface polymerization. The formation of layered wrinkles on the membrane surface greatly increases the contact area of the membrane surface and enhances the hydrophilicity.

Heparin Doped Polyaniline for Anticoagulation Supercapacitors.

With the rapid development of implantable electronic medical devices, supercapacitors have gained significant attention as implantable energy storage devices due to their inherent advantages. However, these devices inevitably direct contact with blood and trigger coagulation or thrombus formation when implanted in the body. In severe cases, these negative effects compromise the functionality of the implantable energy storage system and even jeopardize human health.

Promoting uniform distribution of zinc ions and stabilizing zinc anode by highly entangled zwitterionic hydrogels.

The application of aqueous zinc metal batteries is impeded by dendrite growth and rampant side reaction. Herein, a highly entangled zwitterionic hydrogel of l-carnitine/polyacrylamide is proposed for constructing the highly entangled polyacrylamide network that could form a high-speed channel for ion transport during charging and discharging processes. The interconnected polymer structure promotes uniform distribution of Zn, thereby effectively inhibiting dendrite formation.

Lower reorganization energy raises Marcus electron transfer rate and enables fast reaction kinetics in lithium-organosulfur batteries.

Organosulfur polymer is an emerging cathode material for lithium-sulfur batteries due to its solid-solid reaction and shuttle effect-free kinetics behavior. Here, The organosulfur polymers polypropyl trisulfide (P3S) and polypropyl tetrasulfide (P4S) containing short-chain sulfur by interfacial polycondensation reaction are synthesized. Then selenium (Se) atoms are introduced into the short-chain sulfur structure and form a P4SSe.

A new thiol-sulfur click chemistry for lithium-organosulfide batteries.

Click chemistry is a rapid, reliable, and powerful function and a highly selective organic reaction that facilitates the efficient synthesis of various molecules by joining small units. This approach has found widespread applications in fields such as drug development, chemical synthesis, and molecular biology. In recent years, the reaction of alkali-catalyzed polymerization of thiol and sulfur has been employed to prepare various sulfur-containing polymers, which are applied as electrochemical active electrode materials in the pursuit of good performance.

Achieving Fast Ionic Transport and High Mechanical Properties of Cellulose-Based Solid-State Electrolyte via a Cationic Chain-Extended Effect for Zinc Metal Batteries.

In recent years, rechargeable aqueous zinc metal batteries have ushered in rapid development, but their large-scale industrial application is hindered by zinc anode dendrite formation and hydrogen evolution reaction. Using a solid-state polymer electrolyte is one of the strategies to solve this problem. Herein, by introducing the chain-expanding effect of zinc salts on oxidized bacterial cellulose, cellulose-based polymer electrolytes with excellent strength and ionic conductivity are prepared.

Regulation of Interface Schottky Barrier and Photoelectric Properties in Carbon-Based HTL-Free Perovskite Solar Cells.

Carbon-based hole transport layer (HTL)-free perovskite solar cells (C-PSCs) receive a lot of attention because of their simplified preparation technology, low price, and good hydrophobicity. However, the Schottky junction formed at the interface between perovskite and carbon poles affects the photogenerated carrier extraction and conversion efficiency. In this paper, 4-trifluoromethyl-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid (TPCA) is used to modify the perovskite films.

An anticoagulant supercapacitor for implantable applications.

With the rapid advancement of implantable electronic medical devices, implantable supercapacitors have emerged as popular energy storage devices. However, supercapacitors inevitably come into direct contact with blood when implanted, potentially causing adverse clinical reactions such as coagulation and thrombosis, impairing the performance of implanted energy storage devices, and posing a serious threat to human health. Therefore, this work aims to design an anticoagulant supercapacitor by heparin doped poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) for possible applications in implantable bioelectronics.

Living plant-assisted recycling of nano gold into Murray porous carbon electrode materials.

Based on the enrichment potential of living plants for nanoparticles, this paper develops a new strategy to utilize Murray's law in plants to remove various shapes of gold nanoparticles and, , convert them into Murray porous carbon. The inherent Murray network serves as an optimized hierarchical design and ensures the mechanical stability of the material, and Murray's law is employed to achieve uniform dispersion of nanoparticles , facilitating the preparation of metal nanoparticle-supported carbon materials.

Heterogeneous Carbon Designed with Disorder-in-Ordered Nanostructure toward High-Rate and Ultra-stable Sodium Ion Storage.

The rate performance of biomass-based hard carbon has always been one of the obstacles to its large-scale use. There are various challenges in improving the rapid conduction of sodium ions at the interface and realizing the efficient utilization of inactive carbon in large current. In this study, a disorder-in-ordered nanostructure carbon front-face coated with hard carbon which forms a heterogeneous carbon is prepared by coulomb adsorption of methylene blue and alkalized kapok fiber.

Poly(3, 4-Ethylenedioxythiophene) as Promising Energy Storage Materials in Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Benefiting from the advantages of high conductivity and good electrochemical stability, the conjugated conducting polymer poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) is a promising energy storage material in zinc-ion batteries. Zinc-ion batteries have the advantages of high safety, environmental friendliness, and low cost, but suffer from unstable cathode material structure, poor electrical conductivity, and uncontrollable dendritic growth of zinc anodes. PEDOT, with its fast electrochemical response and wide potential window, is expected to make up for the shortcomings and enhance capacity and cycle life of zinc-ion batteries.

Carboxymethyl Cellulose Gel Electrolyte Based on Hydrolyzed Keratin Modified for Dendrite-Free Zinc-Ion Batteries.

In order to alleviate the dendrite problem of zinc-ion batteries, a gel electrolyte is prepared by Maillard reactions occurring between hydrolyzed wool keratin and carboxymethyl cellulose under heating conditions. The prepared gel electrolyte with the addition of hydrolyzed wool keratin possesses good mechanical properties, and its maximum breaking strength, Young's modulus, and elastic modulus are 58.7, 10.

Improving diffusion kinetics of zinc ions/stabilizing zinc anode by molecular slip mechanism and anchoring effect in supramolecular zwitterionic hydrogels.

The severe hydrogen evolution reaction and parasitic side reaction on Zn anode are the key issues which hinder the development of aqueous Zn-based energy storage devices. Herein, a polyacrylamide/carboxylated cellulose nanofibers/betaine citrate supramolecular zwitterionic hydrogels with molecular slip effects are proposed for enhancing Zn diffusion and protecting Zn anodes. Non-covalent interactions within supramolecular hydrogels forms the skeleton for molecular slip and the strong coordination of carboxyl and amino groups with Zn further facilitates the rapid Zn transfer.

Precise Design of a 0.8 nm Pore Size in a Separator Interfacial Layer Inspired by a Sieving Effect toward Inhibiting Polysulfide Shuttling and Promoting Li Diffusion.

The incomplete blocking of small-sized polysulfides by pore size and the effect on Li transport are generally neglected when the size-sieving effect is employed to suppress the shuttling of polysulfides. Herein, ion-selective modified layers with pore sizes equal to, greater than, and less than 0.8 nm, respectively, on the polypropylene separator are fabricated to obtain the preferable pore size for separation of polysulfides and Li.

Carbon/copper oxide electrode materials with high atomic utilization constructed by in-situ induced growth strategy of nano metal-organic frameworks.

Carbon/metal composites derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted widespread attention due to their excellent electronic conductivity, adjustable porosity, and outstanding stability. However, traditional synthesis methods are limited by the dense stereo geometry and large crystal grain size of MOFs, resulting in many metals active sites are buried in the carbon matrix. While the common strategy involves incorporating additional dispersed media into material, this leads to a decrease in practical metal content.

High Stability Hypha-Like Core-Shell Nanostructure by In Situ Induced Phase Inversion for Zinc Metal Batteries.

Nanomaterials are widely used in many fields for their unique physical and chemical properties and especially demonstrate irreplaceability in energy storage systems. In this paper, a novel composite of copper sulfide with hypha-like core-shell nano-structure is synthesized by in situ phase inversion method, which serves as high stability negative electrode materials of zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs). The unique structure facilitates efficient electron and ion transport, enhances the kinetics of electrochemical reactions, and effectively suppresses the undesired expansion and decomposition of transition metal compounds.

Dual-Site Biomacromolecule Doped Poly(3, 4-Ethylenedioxythiophene) for Bosting Both Anticoagulant and Electrochemical Performances.

Poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) as a new generation of intelligent conductive polymers, is attracting much attention in the field of tissue engineering. However, its water dispersibility, conductivity, and biocompatibility are incompatible, which limit its further development. In this work, biocompatible electrode material of PEDOT doped with sodium sulfonated alginate (SS) which contains two functional groups of sulfonic acid and carboxylic acid per repeat unit of the macromolecule.

Recent Progress in Improving Rate Performance of Cellulose-Derived Carbon Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Cellulose-derived carbon is regarded as one of the most promising candidates for high-performance anode materials in sodium-ion batteries; however, its poor rate performance at higher current density remains a challenge to achieve high power density sodium-ion batteries. The present review comprehensively elucidates the structural characteristics of cellulose-based materials and cellulose-derived carbon materials, explores the limitations in enhancing rate performance arising from ion diffusion and electronic transfer at the level of cellulose-derived carbon materials, and proposes corresponding strategies to improve rate performance targeted at various precursors of cellulose-based materials. This review also presents an update on recent progress in cellulose-based materials and cellulose-derived carbon materials, with particular focuses on their molecular, crystalline, and aggregation structures.

Tailoring Interfacial Electric Field by Gold Nanoparticles Enable Electrocatalytic Lithium Polysulfides Conversion for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Although lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered as the promising next rechargeable storage system ascribing to their decent specific capacity of inorganic sulfur, the development is partially impeded by inferior electronic conductivity, severe shuttle effect, and large volume variation. To tackle the issues above, a great deal of effort is made on sulfur-containing polymer (SCP) that shows better electrochemical performance. Nevertheless, sluggish conversion of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) obstructs battery performance yet.