Microstructural Evolution Dynamics in Rapid Joule Heating Densification of High-Nickel Cathodes.

High-energy density materials are essential for the advancement of next-generation lithium-ion batteries, which power a wide range of applications from portable electronics to electric vehicles. Among them, high-Nickel (Ni) layered oxide cathodes have emerged as promising candidates due to their high capacity and cost-effectiveness. However, pores and excessive grain growth in high-Ni layered oxides compromise energy density and mechanical integrity, while oversized grains hinder lithium-ion diffusion kinetics, necessitating a sintering strategy that promotes densification without inducing abnormal grain growth.

Highlighting Charge Redistribution Phenomenon in Mn-Based Prussian Blue Analogues for Enhancing Redox Stability.

The development of sodium-ion batteries is increasingly critical due to the limited availability and rising cost of lithium resources, positioning a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries. Conventional Mn-based cathode materials often suffer from the strong Jahn-Teller effect of Mn, leading to structural instability and capacity fading. Herein, it is demonstrated that activating charge redistribution between adjacent transition metals in Mn-based Prussian blue analogues, driven by tuning electronic conductivity, plays a crucial role in mitigating the Jahn-Teller effect.

Metal-to-metal charge transfer for stabilizing high-voltage redox in lithium-rich layered oxide cathodes.

Apart from conventional redox chemistries, exploring high-voltage anionic redox processes, such as pure oxygen or high-valent transition metal ion redox, poses challenges due to the instability of O nonbonding or O-dominant energy states. These states are associated with destructive behaviors in layered oxide cathodes, including local structural distortion, cationic disordering, and oxygen gas evolution. In this study, we suppress first-cycle voltage hysteresis and irreversible O evolution in Li-rich oxide cathodes through covalency competition induced by the substitution of electropositive groups.

An Efficient Endothelial Cell Differentiation Protocol Using Bioactive Lipid O-Cyclic Phytosphingosine-1-Phosphate in Human Embryonic Stem Cells.

Bioactive lipids like sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and lysophosphatidic acid have gained significant attention as signaling molecules with regulatory roles in stem cell proliferation and differentiation. The novel chemically synthesized sphingosine metabolite O-cyclic phytosphingosine-1-phosphate (cP1P) is derived from phytosphingosine-1-phosphate (P1P) and shares structural similarities with S1P. Previously, the role of cP1P in regulating ALK3/BMPR signaling during cardiomyocyte differentiation from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) was demonstrated.

Cathode Electrolyte Interphase Engineering for Prussian Blue Analogues in Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The increasing use of low-cost lithium iron phosphate cathodes in low-end electric vehicles has sparked interest in Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) for lithium-ion batteries. A major challenge with iron hexacyanoferrate (FeHCFe), particularly in lithium-ion systems, is its slow kinetics in organic electrolytes and valence state inactivation in aqueous ones. We have addressed these issues by developing a polymeric cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) layer through a ring-opening reaction of ethylene carbonate triggered by OH radicals from structural water.

Bioactive Lipid O-cyclic phytosphingosine-1-phosphate Promotes Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells into Cardiomyocytes via ALK3/BMPR Signaling.

Adult human cardiomyocytes have an extremely limited proliferative capacity, which poses a great barrier to regenerative medicine and research. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have been proposed as an alternative source to generate large numbers of clinical grade cardiomyocytes (CMs) that can have potential therapeutic applications to treat cardiac diseases. Previous studies have shown that bioactive lipids are involved in diverse cellular responses including cardiogenesis.

The interaction of an antimicrobial decapeptide with phospholipid vesicles.

Previously, by using combinatorial peptide libraries, we have identified activity-optimized decapeptide (KSL, KKVVFKVKFK-NH(2)), which exhibited a broad spectrum of the activity against bacteria and fungi without hemolytic activity. In order to examine lipid requirements and to understand the mode of KSL action, we investigated interactions of the peptide with vesicles consisting of various lipid compositions. KSL increased the permeability of negatively charged but not zwitterionic phospholipid membranes, and the leakage was independent on the size of encapsulated molecules (calcein, 1-aminonaphthalene-3,6,8-trisulfonic acid (ANTS)/N,N'-p-xylene bis(pyridinium) bromide (DPX), and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran with different molecular weight), indicating that the peptide did not form pores or channels in this leakage process.