Interfacial Li Diffusion Booster Accelerated by Enhanced Metal-Organic Framework Sieving and Wettability for High-Voltage Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) are promising for realizing higher energy density. However, the poor interfacial Li transport kinetics and Li dendrite growth inhibit SSLMBs, leading to sluggish interfacial ion diffusion and depressive lifespan, which is attributed to high barriers blocked by anions or interface space in solid-state electrolytes. Herein, a flexible solid-state polymer skeleton employed with ionic liquid and metal-organic frameworks (PIM) electrolyte is proposed to strengthen interfacial Li ion exchange by improving the Li sieving effect and interfacial wettability.

Gradient Desolvation-Diffusion Kinetic Layer Promoters for Low-Temperature Dendrite-Free Zn Metal Batteries.

Aqueous zinc metal batteries have emerged as strong candidates for large-scale energy applications, but they are inhibited by significant dendrite growth resulting from corresponding depressive desolvation-diffusion kinetics. Herein, the strategy of gradient desolvation-diffusion kinetics is proposed by constructing an organic-inorganic layer on the zinc anode for increasing robust mechanical properties and strengthening ion/atom transport. The electron-insulative polymer layer effectively prevents interfacial electron contact from side reactions, and the phase-transformed Sn and ZnF layer also promotes Zn transport with lower barrier, as demonstrated by electrochemical and theoretical simulations.

Prospect of Cascade Catalysis in Magnesium-Sulfur Batteries from Desolvation to Conversion Reactions.

Magnesium-sulfur (Mg-S) batteries have the advantages of high volumetric energy density, intrinsic safety, and low cost of anode and cathode materials. However, current obstacles that preventing practical applications of Mg-S batteries are reflected in the sluggish reaction kinetics of insulative sulfur cathode, designs of compatible electrolytes, and surface optimization of Mg anode against passivation. Regarding the sulfur cathodes, the inherent low conductivity, high volumetric changes, and polysulfide shuttling always result in depressive capacity and utilization.

Dimensional reduction in CsAgBiBr enables long-term stable Perovskite-based gas sensing.

Halide perovskite gas sensors have a low gas detection limit at room temperature, surpassing the performance of traditional metal oxide chemiresistors. However, they are prone to structural decomposition and performance loss due to the lack of coordination unsaturated surface metal ions and sensitivity to environmental factors such as water, oxygen, heat, and light. To address this issue, we present a general strategy: replacing the cation Cs in inorganic perovskite CsAgBiBr with long-chain alkylamines.

Improving diacetylene photopolymerization in monolayers and ultrathin films.

Gentle annealing and photopolymerization under inert atmospheres strongly enhance the quality of polydiacetylene monolayers. These simple measures not only triple the average degree of polymerization but also alter the preferred photoexcitation mode and cause pronounced nano-alignment during the early stages of polymerization.

Suspension Electrolytes with Catalytically Self-Expediating Desolvation Kinetics for Low-Temperature Zinc Metal Batteries.

The conventional electrolyte for rechargeable aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs) breeds many problems such as Zn dendrite growth and side reaction of hydrogen evolution reaction, which are fundamentally attributed to the uneven ion flux owing to the high barriers of desolvation and diffusion of Zn[(HO)] clusters. Herein, to modulate the [Zn(HO)] solvation structure, the suspension electrolyte engineering employed with electron-delocalized catalytic nanoparticles is initially proposed to expedite desolvation kinetics. As a proof, the electron-density-adjustable CeO is introduced into the commercial electrolyte and preferentially adsorbed on the Zn surface, regulating the Zn[(HO)] structure.

Delocalized Electron Engineering of MXene-Immobilized Atomic Catalysts toward Fast Desolvation and Dendritic Inhibition for Low-Temperature Zn Metal Batteries.

Rechargeable low-temperature aqueous zinc metal batteries (LT-AZMBs) are considered as a competitive candidate for next-generation energy storage systems owing to increased safety and low cost. Unfortunately, sluggish desolvation kinetics of hydrated [Zn(HO)] and inhomogeneous ion flux cause detrimental hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) and Zn dendrite growth. Herein, the atomic iron well-implanted onto MXene via defect capture (SAFe@MXene) has been initially proposed to modulate Zn plating.

Low-Temperature Lithium Metal Batteries Achieved by Synergistically Enhanced Screening Li Desolvation Kinetics.

Lithium metal anode is desired by high capacity and low potential toward higher energy density than commercial graphite anode. However, the low-temperature Li metal batteries suffer from dendrite formation and dead Li resulting from uneven Li behaviors of flux with huge desolvation/diffusion barriers, thus leading to short lifespan and safety concern. Herein, differing from electrolyte engineering, a strategy of delocalizing electrons with generating rich active sites to regulate Li desolvation/diffusion behaviors are demonstrated via decorating polar chemical groups on porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).

Gel Polymer Electrolyte Enables Low-Temperature and High-Rate Lithium-Ion Batteries via Bionic Interface Design.

Traditional ethylene carbonate (EC)-based electrolytes constrain the applications of silicon carbon (Si-C) anodes under fast-charging and low-temperature conditions due to sluggish Li migration kinetics and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Herein, inspired by the efficient water purification and soil stabilization of aquatic plants, a stable SEI with a 3D desolvation interface is designed with gel polymer electrolyte (GPE), accelerating Li desolvation and migration at the interface and within stable SEI. As demonstrated by theoretical simulations and experiment results, the resulting poly(1,3-dioxolane) (PDOL), prepared by in situ ring-opening polymerization of 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), creates a 3D desolvation area, improving the Li desolvation at the interface and yielding an amorphous GPE with a high Li ionic conductivity (5.

The Dynamic Modulation Doping Effect of Gas Molecules on an AlGaN/GaN Heterojunction Surface.

AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) are widely used in high-frequency and high-power applications owing to the high two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) concentration. However, the microscopic origin of the 2DEG remains unclear. This hinders the development of device fabrication technologies, such as threshold voltage modulation, current collapse suppression, and 2DEG concentration enhancement technologies, as well as AlGaN/GaN sensors with very high sensitivity to polar liquids.

Superfast Zincophilic Ion Conductor Enables Rapid Interfacial Desolvation Kinetics for Low-Temperature Zinc Metal Batteries.

Low-temperature rechargeable aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs) as highly promising candidates for energy storage are largely hindered by huge desolvation energy barriers and depressive Zn migration kinetics. In this work, a superfast zincophilic ion conductor of layered zinc silicate nanosheet (LZS) is constructed on a metallic Zn surface, as an artificial layer and ion diffusion accelerator. The experimental and simulation results reveal the zincophilic ability and layer structure of LZS not only promote the desolvation kinetics of [Zn(HO)] but also accelerate the Zn transport kinetics across the anode/electrolyte interface, guiding uniform Zn deposition.

High-Entropy Polymer Electrolytes Derived from Multivalent Polymeric Ligands for Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries with Accelerated Li Transport.

Solid-state polymer-based electrolytes (SSPEs) exhibit great possibilities in realizing high-energy-density solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs). However, current SSPEs suffer from low ionic conductivity and unsatisfactory interfacial compatibility with metallic Li because of the high crystallinity of polymers and sluggish Li movement in SSPEs. Herein, differing from common strategies of copolymerization, a new strategy of constructing a high-entropy SSPE from multivariant polymeric ligands is proposed.

Superior Li Kinetics by "Low-Activity-Solvent" Engineering for Stable Lithium Metal Batteries.

The structure of solvated Li has a significant influence on the electrolyte/electrode interphase (EEI) components and desolvation energy barrier, which are two key factors in determining the Li diffusion kinetics in lithium metal batteries. Herein, the "solvent activity" concept is proposed to quantitatively describe the correlation between the electrolyte elements and the structure of solvated Li. Through fitting the correlation of the electrode potential and solvent concentration, we suggest a "low-activity-solvent" electrolyte (LASE) system for deriving a stable inorganic-rich EEI.

Electrolyte Design with Dual -C≡N Groups Containing Additives to Enable High-Voltage NaV(PO)F-Based Sodium-Ion Batteries.

NaV(PO)F is recognized as a promising cathode for high energy density sodium-ion batteries due to its high average potential of ∼3.95 V (vs Na/Na). A high-voltage-resistant electrolyte is of high importance due to the long duration of 4.

Atom-Level Tandem Catalysis in Lithium Metal Batteries.

High-energy-density lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are limited by reaction or diffusion barriers with dissatisfactory electrochemical kinetics. Typical conversion-type lithium sulfur battery systems exemplify the kinetic challenges. Namely, before diffusing or reacting in the electrode surface/interior, the Li(solvent) dissociation at the interface to produce isolated Li, is usually a prerequisite fundamental step either for successive Li "reduction" or for Li to participate in the sulfur conversions, contributing to the related electrochemical barriers.

Constructing an Anion-Braking Separator to Regulate Local Li Solvation Structure for Stabilizing Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) offer significant advantages in energy density and output voltage, but they are severely limited by uncontrollable Li dendrite formation resulting from uneven Li behaviors and high reactivity with potential co-solvent plating. Herein, to uniformly enhance the Li behaviors in desolvation and diffusion, the local Li solvation shell structure is optimized by constructing an anion-braking separator, hence dynamically reducing the self-amplifying behavior of dendrites. As a prototypal, two-dimensional lithiated-montmorillonite (LiMMT) is blade-coated on the commercial separator, where abundant -OH groups as Lewis acidic sites and electron acceptors could selectively adsorb corresponding FSI anions, regulating the solvation shell structure and restricting their migration.

Interfacial Modulation of a Self-Sacrificial Synthesized SnO@Sn Core-Shell Heterostructure Anode toward High-Capacity Reversible Li Storage.

Sn-based anodes are promising high-capacity anode materials for low-cost lithium ion batteries. Unfortunately, their development is generally restricted by rapid capacity fading resulting from large volume expansion and the corresponding structural failure of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) during the lithiation/delithiation process. Herein, heterostructural core-shell SnO-layer-wrapped Sn nanoparticles embedded in a porous conductive nitrogen-doped carbon (SOWSH@PCNC) are proposed.

Delocalized Isoelectronic Heterostructured FeCoO S Catalysts with Tunable Electron Density for Accelerated Sulfur Redox Kinetics in Li-S batteries.

High interconversion energy barriers, depressive reaction kinetics of sulfur species, and sluggish Li transport inhibit the wide development of high-energy-density lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Herein, differing from random mixture of selected catalysts, the composite catalyst with outer delocalized isoelectronic heterostructure (DIHC) is proposed and optimized, enhancing the catalytic efficiency for decreasing related energy barriers. As a proof-of-content, the FeCoO S composites with different degrees of sulfurization are fabricated by regulating atoms ratio between O and S.

Interfacial "Single-Atom-in-Defects" Catalysts Accelerating Li Desolvation Kinetics for Long-Lifespan Lithium-Metal Batteries.

The lithium-metal anode is a promising candidate for realizing high-energy-density batteries owing to its high capacity and low potential. However, several rate-limiting kinetic obstacles, such as the desolvation of Li solvation structure to liberate Li , Li nucleation, and atom diffusion, cause heterogeneous spatial Li-ion distribution and fractal plating morphology with dendrite formation, leading to low Coulombic efficiency and depressive electrochemical stability. Herein, differing from pore sieving effect or electrolyte engineering, atomic iron anchors to cation vacancy-rich Co S embedded in 3D porous carbon (SAFe/CVRCS@3DPC) is proposed and demonstrated as catalytic kinetic promoters.

Halide Perovskite glues activate two-dimensional covalent organic framework crystallites for selective NO sensing.

Two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs) are promising for gas sensing owing to the large surface area, abundant active sites, and their semiconducting nature. However, 2D COFs are usually produced in the form of insoluble micro-crystallites. Their poor contacts between grain boundaries severely suppress the conductivity, which are too low for chemresistive gas sensing.

Ordered Mesoporous Carbon Grafted MXene Catalytic Heterostructure as Li-Ion Kinetic Pump toward High-Efficient Sulfur/Sulfide Conversions for Li-S Battery.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries exhibit unparalleled theoretical capacity and energy density than conventional lithium ion batteries, but they are hindered by the dissatisfactory "shuttle effect" and the sluggish conversion kinetics owing to the low lithium ion transport kinetics, resulting in rapid capacity fading. Herein, a catalytic two-dimensional heterostructure composite is prepared by evenly grafting mesoporous carbon on the MXene nanosheet (denoted as OMC--MXene), serving as interfacial kinetic accelerators in Li-S batteries. In this design, the grafted mesoporous carbon in the heterostructure can not only prevent the stack of MXene nanosheets with the enhanced mechanical property but also offer a facilitated pump for accelerating ion diffusion.

Organic-semiconductor-assisted dielectric screening effect for stable and efficient perovskite solar cells.

Perovskite solar cells (pero-SCs) performance is essentially limited by severe non-radiative losses and ion migration. Although numerous strategies have been proposed, challenges remain in the basic understanding of their origins. Here, we report a dielectric-screening-enhancement effect for perovskite defects by using organic semiconductors with finely tuned molecular structures from the atoms level.

Toward Dendrite-Free Metallic Lithium Anodes: From Structural Design to Optimal Electrochemical Diffusion Kinetics.

Lithium metal anodes are ideal for realizing high-energy-density batteries owing to their advantages, namely high capacity and low reduction potentials. However, the utilization of lithium anodes is restricted by the detrimental lithium dendrite formation, repeated formation and fracturing of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), and large volume expansion, resulting in severe "dead lithium" and subsequent short circuiting. Currently, the researches are principally focused on inhibition of dendrite formation toward extending and maintaining battery lifespans.