Spinel-layered integrate structured nanorods with both high capacity and superior high-rate capability as cathode material for lithium-ion batteries

Spinel phase LiMn2O4 was successfully embedded into monoclinic phase layeredstructured Li2MrnO3 nanorods,and these spinel-layered integrate structured nanorods showed both high capacities and superior high-rate capabilities as cathode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).Pristine Li2MnO3 nanorods were synthesized by a simple rheological phase method using α-MnO2 nanowires as precursors.The spinel-layered integrate structured nanorods were fabricated by a facile partial reduction reaction using stearic acid as the reductant.Both structural characterizations and electrochemical properties of the integrate structured nanorods verified that LiMn2O4 nanodomains were embedded inside the pristine Li2MnO3 nanorods.When used as cathode materials for LIBs,the spinel-layered integrate structured Li2MnO3 nanorods (SL-Li2MnO3) showed much better performances than the pristine layered-structured Li2MnO3 nanorods (L-Li2MnO3).When charge-discharged at 20 mA·g-1 in a voltage window of 2.0-4.8 V,the SL-Li2MnO3 showed discharge capadties of 272.3 and 228.4 mAh.g-1 in the first and the 60th cycles,respectively,with capacity retention of 83.8％.The SL-Li2MnO3 also showed superior high-rate performances.When cycled at rates of 1 C,2 C,5 C,and 10 C (1 C =200 mA·g-1) for hundreds of cycles,the discharge capacities of the SL-Li2MnO3 reached 218.9,200.5,147.1,and 123.9 mAh·g-1,respectively.The superior performances of the SL-Li2MnO3 are ascribed to the spineMayered integrated structures.With large capacities and superior high-rate performances,these spinel-layered integrate structured materials are good candidates for cathodes of next-generation high-power LIBs.     

Shape design of cerium oxide nanoparticles for enhancement of enzyme mimetic activity in therapeutic applications

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CONPs), widely used in catalytic applications owing to their robust redox reaction, are now being considered in therapeutic applications based on their enzyme mimetic properties such as catalase and super oxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic activities. In therapeutic applications, the emerging demand for CONPs with low cytotoxicity, high cost efficiency, and high enzyme mimetic capability necessitates the exploration of alternative synthesis and effective material design. This study presents a room temperature aqueous synthesis for low-cost production of shape-selective CONPs without potentially harmful organic substances, and additionally, investigates cell viability and catalase and SOD mimetic activities. This synthesis, at room temperature, produced CONPs with particular planes: {111}/{100} nanopolyhedra, {100} nano/submicron cubes, and {111}/{100} nanorods that grew in [110] longitudinal direction. Enzymatic activity assays indicated that nanopolyhedra with a high concentration of Ce⁴⁺ ions promoted catalase mimetic activity, while nanocubes and nanorods with high Ce³⁺ ion concentrations enhanced SOD mimetic activity. This is the first study indicating that shape and facet configuration design of CONPs, coupled with the retention of dominant, specific Ce valence states, potentiates enzyme mimetic activities. These findings may be utilized for CONP design aimed at enhancing enzyme mimetic activities in therapeutic applications.

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Three-dimensionally ordered,ultrathin graphitic-carbon frameworks with cage-like mesoporosity for highly stable Li-S batteries

Mesoporous carbons have been widely utilized as the sulfur host for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries.The ability to engineer the porosity,wall thickness,and graphitization degree of the carbon host is essential for addressing issues that hamper commercialization of Li-S batteries,such as fast capacity decay and poor high-rate performance.In this work,highly ordered,ultrathin mesoporous graphitic-carbon frameworks (MGFs) having unique cage-like mesoporosity,derived from self-assembled Fe3O4 nanoparticle superlattices,are demonstrated to be an excellent host for encapsulating sulfur.The resulting S@MGFs exhibit high specific capacity (1,446 mAh·g-1 at 0.15 C),good rate capability (430 mAh.g-1 at 6 C),and exceptional cycling stability (～0.049％ capacity decay per cycle at 1 C) when used as Li-S cathodes.The superior electrochemical performance of the S@MGFs is attributed to the many unique and advantageous structural features of MGFs.In addition to the interconnected,ultrathin graphitic-carbon framework that ensures rapid electron and lithium-ion transport,the microporous openings between adjacent mesopores efficiently suppress the diffusion of polysulfides,leading to improved capacity retention even at high current densities.     

Simple synthesis of a porous Sb/Sb2O3 nanocomposite for a high-capacity anode material in Na-ion batteries

High-capacity anode materials are highly desirable for sodium ion batteries.Here,a porous Sb/Sb2O3 nanocomposite is successfully synthesized by the mild oxidization of Sb nanocrystals in air.In the composite,Sb contributes good conductivity and Sb2O3 improves cycling stability,particularly within the voltage window of 0.02-1.5 V.It remains at a reversible capacity of 540 mAh·g-1 after 180 cycles at 0.66 A·g-L Even at 10 A·g-1,the reversible capacity is still preserved at 412 mAh.g-1,equivalent to 71.6％ of that at 0.066 A.g-1.These results are much better than Sb nanocrystals with a similar size and structure.Expanding the voltage window to 0.02-2.5 V includes the conversion reaction between Sb2O3 and Sb into the discharge/charge profiles.This would induce a large volume change and high structure strain/stress,deteriorating the cycling stability.The identification of a proper voltage window for Sb/Sb2O3 paves the way for its development in sodium ion batteries.     

Construction of point-line-plane (0-1-2 dimensional) Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-SnO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/graphene hybrids as the anodes with excellent lithium storage capability

The assembly of hybrid nanomaterials has opened up a new direction for the construction of high-performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this work, we present a straightforward, eco-friendly, one-step hydrothermal protocol for the synthesis of a new type of Fe₂O₃-SnO₂/graphene hybrid, in which zero-dimensional (0D) SnO₂ nanoparticles with an average diameter of 8 nm and one-dimensional (1D) Fe₂O₃ nanorods with a length of ~150 nm are homogeneously attached onto two-dimensional (2D) reduced graphene oxide nanosheets, generating a unique point-line-plane (0D-1D-2D) architecture. The achieved Fe₂O₃-SnO₂/graphene exhibits a well-defined morphology, a uniform size, and good monodispersity. As anode materials for LIBs, the hybrids exhibit a remarkable reversible capacity of 1,530 mA·g^?1 at a current density of 100 mA·g^?1 after 200 cycles, as well as a high rate capability of 615 mAh·g^?1 at 2,000 mA·g^?1. Detailed characterizations reveal that the superior lithium-storage capacity and good cycle stability of the hybrids arise from their peculiar hybrid nanostructure and conductive graphene matrix, as well as the synergistic interaction among the components.

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