Vanadium-based polyanionic compounds as cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries:Toward high-energy and high-power applications

Sodium ion batteries(SIBs)have been regarded as one of the alternatives to lithium ion batteries owing to their wide availability and significantly low cost of sodium sources.However,they face serious challenges of low energy&power density and short cycling lifespan owing to the heavy mass and large radius of Na⁺.Vanadium-based polyanionic compounds have advantageous characteristic of high operating voltage,high ionic conductivity and robust structural framework,which is conducive to their high energy&power density and long lifespan for SIBs.In this review,we will overview the latest V-based polyanionic compounds,along with the respective characteristic from the intrinsic crystal structure to performance presentation and improvement for SIBs.One of the most important aspect is to discover the essential problems existed in the present V-based polyanionic compounds for high-energy&power applications,and point out most suitable solutions from the crystal structure modulation,interface tailoring and electrode configuration design.Moreover,some scientific issues of V-based polyanionic compounds shall be also proposed and related future direction shall be provided.We believe that this review can serve as a motivation for further development of novel V-based polyanionic compounds and drive them toward high energy&power applications in the near future.     

Total synthesis of TRADD death domain with arginine N-GlcNAcylation by hydrazide-based native chemical ligation

TNFR1-associated death domain protein(TRADD)with arginine N-GlcNAcylation is a novel and structurally unique posttranslational modification(PTM)glycoprotein that blocks the formation of death-inducing signaling complex(DISC),orchestrating host nuclear factorκB(NF-κB)signaling in entero-pathogenic Escherichia coli(EPEC)-infected cells.This particular glycosylated modification plays an extremely vital role for the effective colonization and pathogenesis of pathogens in the gut.Herein we describe the total synthesis of TRADD death domain(residues 195-312)with arginine235 NGlcNAcylation(Arg-GIcNAc TRADD(195-312)).Two longish peptidyl fragments of the wild-type primary sequence were obtained by robust,microwave-assisted,highly efficient,solid-phase peptide synthesis(SPPS),the N-GlcNAcylated sector was built by total synthesis and attached specifically to resinbound peptide with an unprotected ornithine residue via silver-promoted on-resin guanidinylation,ArgGlcNAc TRADD(195-312)was constructed by hydrazide-based native chemical ligation(NCL).The facile synthetic strategy is expected to be generally applicable for the rapid synthesis of other proteins with Arg-GIcNAc modification and to pave the way for the related chemically biological study.     

Steam activation of Fe-N-C catalyst for advanced power performance of alkaline hydrazine fuel cells

Alkaline hydrazine liquid fuel cells(AHFC) have been highlighted in terms of high power performance with non-precious metal catalysts.Although Fe-N-C is a promising non-Pt electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR),the surface density of the active site is very low and the catalyst layer should be thick to acquire the necessary number of catalytic active sites.With this thick catalyst layer,it is important to have an optimum pore structure for effective reactant conveyance to active sites and an interface structure for faster charge transfer.Herein,we prepare a Fe-N-C catalyst with magnetite particles and hierarchical pore structure by steam activation.The steam activation process significantly improves the power performance of the AHFC as indicated by the lower IR and activation voltage losses.Based on a systematic characterization,we found that hierarchical pore structures improve the catalyst utilization efficiency of the AHFCs,and magnetite nanoparticles act as surface modifiers to reduce the interracial resistance between the electrode and the ion-exchange membrane.     

Combined QSAR/QSPR,Molecular Docking,and Molecular Dynamics Study of Environmentally Friendly PBDEs with Improved Insulating Properties

To improve the insulating properties of polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs), we studied the molecular structures and energy gap(Eg) values of 209 PBDEs using a three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship(3D-QSAR) model, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics. We also analyzed the interaction mechanisms of PBDEs using a 2D-QSAR model, molecular substitution characteristics, and molecular docking. The 3D-QSAR model showed that the 2-, 4-, 5-, and 6-positions significantly influenced the PBDE insulating properties. Using BDE-34 as a template molecule, we designed six derivatives with 0.47%-28.44% higher insulation tlian BDE-34. Compared with BDE-34, the stability and flame retardancy of the above six derivatives were not adversely affected. These derivatives, except for 2,6-cyanomethyl-BDE, 2-cyanomethyl-BDE, and 2-aniinomethyl-BDE, were more toxic and biodegradable than BDE-34, but showed weaker bioaccumulation and migration abilities than BDE-34. Mechanism analysis showed that the highest occupied orbital energy, the most negative charge, and the dipole moment were the main quantitative parameters that aflected the PBDE insulating properties. PBDE insulation gradually decreased as the number of Br atoms increased. The level of similarity between the substitution patterns on the two benzene rings was significantly correlated with PBDE insulation, with hydrophobic groups having a more significant efiect on PBDE insulation.     

Novel fusiform core-shell-MOF derived in tact metal@carb on composite:An efficient cathode catalyst for aqueous and solid-state Zn-air batteries

Owing to the varied mechanisms of ORR/OER,exploiting cost-effective bifunctional catalysts with robust ORR/OER activities and excellent performances in Zn-air batteries is still a challenge.In this work,the Co/CoO@NSC bifunctional catalyst is obtained by using Zn-MOF@Co-MOF as self-template.The Co/CoO@NSC composite has interconnected porous architecture with in tact metal@carb on structure,exhibiting superior electrocatalytic activities toward ORR and OER that can be comparable with the Pt/C and RuO₂ catalysts,respectively.The Co/CoO@NSC-based aqueous Zn-air battery achieves a high specific capacity(759.7 mAh/g)and energy density(990.5 Wh/kg),and ultra-long rechargeable property(more than 400 h/1200 cycles).The Co/CoO@NSC-based solid-state Zn-air battery also delivers an excellent performance with a long cycle life(more than 143 h/858 cycles).Most importantly,the newly synthesized and recharged Co/CoO@NSC-based solid-state Zn-air battery can be used to light up a 2 V LED lamp for more than 28 h,demonstrating the superior practicability as rechargeable power source.     

Ultra-small nanodots coated with oligopeptides providing highly negative charges to enhance osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs better than osteogenic induction medium

For bone regenerative engineering,it is a promising method to form skeletal tissues differentiating from human bone morrow mesenchyme stem cells(hBMSCs).However,it is still a critical challenge to efficiently control ostogenesis and clearly reveal the influence factor.To this end,the fluorescent gold nanodots(Au NDs) with highly negative charges as osteogenic induction reagent are successfully synthesized,which display better than commercial osteogenic induction medium through the investigations of ALP activity(2.5 folds) and cytoskeleton staining(1.5 folds).Two kinds of oligopeptides with different bio-structures(cysteine,Cys and glutathione,GSH) are selected for providing surficial charges on Au NDs.It is revealed that Au-Cys with more negative charges(-51 mV) play better role than Au-GSH(-19 mV) in osteogenic differentiation,when both of them have same size(~2 nm),sphere shape and show similar cell uptake amount.To explore deeply,osteogenesis related signaling pathways are monitored,revealing that the enhancement of osteogenic differentiation was through autophagy signaling pathway triggered by Au-Cys.And the promotion of highly negative charges in osteogenic diffe rentiation was further proved via sliver nanodots(Ag NDs,Ag-Cys and Ag-GSH) and carbon nanodots(CDs,Cys-CDs and GSH-CDs).This work indicates part of insights during hBMSCs differentiation and provides a novel strategy in osteogenic differentiation process.     

Miniaturized electrochemical sensors and their point-of-care applications

Most of the current analytical methods depend largely on laboratory-based analytical techniques that require expensive and bullky equipment,potentially incur costly testing,and involve lengthy detection processes.With increasing requirements for point-of-care testing(POCT),more attention has been paid to miniaturized analytical devices.Miniaturized electrochemical(MEC)sensors,including different material-based MEC sensors(such as DNA-,paper-,and screen electrode-based),have been in strong demand in analytical science due to their easy operation,portability,high sensitivity,as well as their short analysis time.They have been applied for the detection of trace amounts of target through measuring changes in electrochemical signal,such as current,voltage,potential,or impedance,due to the oxidation/reduction of chemical/biological molecules with the help of electrodes and electrochemical units.MEC sensors present great potential for the detection of targets including small organic molecules,metal ions,and biomolecules.In recent years,MEC sensors have been broadly applied to POCT in various fields,including health care,food safety,and environmental monitoring,owing to the excellent advantages of electrochemical(EC)technologies.This review summarized the state-of-the-art advancements on various types of MEC sensors and their applications in POCT.Furthermore,the future perspectives,opportunities,and challenges in this field are also discussed.     

Recent progress of thin-film photovoltaics for indoor application

Indoor photovoltaics have attracted increasing attentions owing to their great potential in supplying energy for low power devices under indoor light in our daily life.The third generation thin-film solar cells,including dye-sensitized solar cells,perovskite solar cells and organic solar cells,have made rapid progress from the aspect of materials design to photovoltaic performance.This review provides an overview on the recent advances in the development of indoor photovoltaic technologies based on the third generation solar cells.The design principles of advanced thin-film indoor photovoltaics were also summarized according to the characteristics of indoor light and the advantages of the third generation solar cells.Finally,after summarizing the current research progress,the perspective on this topic is provided.     

C-S coupling with nitro group as leaving group via simple inorganic salt catalysis

An efficient and practical synthetic protocol to synthesize nonsymmetrical aryl thioethers by nucleophilic aromatic substitution(S_NAr)reaction of nitroarenes by thiols with potassium phosphate as the catalyst is described.Various moderate to strong electron-withdrawing functional groups are tolerated by the system to provide thioethers in a good to excellent yields.We also showed that the present method allows access to 3 drug examples in a short reaction time.Finally,mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction may form the classic Meisenheimer complex through a two-step additionelimination mechanism.     

Visualizing phase transition of upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymers with AIE

The stimuli-responsive polymers with upper critical solution temperatures(UCST) are highly attractive for drug delivery applications. However, the phase transition process of UCST polymer is usually characterized by turbidity measurement and electron microscopy, which are significantly restricted by low sensitivity and static observation. In contrary, the fluorescence technique has significant advantages in terms of high sensitivity, easy operation, and dynamic observation. However, the conventional fluorophores suffer from the drawbacks of aggregation-caused quenching(ACQ) after being encapsulated by UCST polymers, which are not suitable for direct visualization of the phase transition process. To tackle this challenge, we herein developed a series of UCST polymers based on polyacrylamides decorated with bile acid and aggregation-induced emission(AIE)-active tetraphenylethene(TPE) groups, which can be used for direct fluorescence monitoring of the phase transition process. Moreover, the AIE-active UCST polymers can serve as drug carriers, which can not only monitor the drug release process under thermal stimuli, but also verify the drug release by fluorescence recovery after thermal stimuli. It is expected that the AIE-active UCST polymers with self-monitoring ability are promising for biomedical applications.     

A highly stable membrane with hierarchical structure for wide pH range flow batteries

A membrane with high stability and ion conductivity in wide pH range is essential for energy storage devices.Here,we report a novel membrane with hierarchical core-shell structure,which demonstrates high stability and ion conductivity,simultaneously under a wide pH range applications.Spectral characterizations and theoretical calculation indicate that the non-solvent induces the chain segment configuration and eventually leads to polymer-polymer phase separation,thus forming hierarchical porous core-shell structure.Benefiting from this structure,an acidic vanadium flow battery(VFB)with such a membrane shows excellent performance over 400 cycles with an energy efficiency(EE)of above 81%at current density of 120 mA cm^-2 and an alkaline zinc-iron flow battery(AZIFB)delivers a cycling stability for more than 200 cycles at 160 mA cm^-2,along with an EE of above 82%.This paper provides a cost-effective and simple way to fabricate membranes with high performance for variety of energyrelated devices.     

Asymmetric synthesis of ABC tricyclic systems in Daphniphyllum alkaloid

Efficient synthetic routs for the direct and rapid construction of[5-6-6]ABC tricyclic systems of daphmanidin A-type and calyciphylline A-type alkaloids have been successfully developed.For the daphmanidin A-type,the synthesis of[5-6-6]tricyclic framework utilize a HCl-mediated intramolecular Aldol reaction to construct the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane core and a thermal condensation to afford the ABC ring system.In addition,for the calyciphylline A-type,an improved synthesis of ABC[5-6-6]tricyclic system was developed,featuring an introduction of methyl ester group at C2 before the Pd-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative alkylation to construct the desired bowl-shape tricyclic core with stereochemical control.     

《催化学报》作者指南

1.刊物简介《催化学报》是中国化学会和中国科学院大连化学物理研究所主办,科学出版社出版的学术性刊物,1980年创刊,现为月刊.主要报道能源、环境、有机化工、新材料、多相催化、均相催化、     

《催化学报》作者指南

1.刊物简介《催化学报》是中国化学会和中国科学院大连化学物理研究所主办,科学出版社出版的学术性刊物,1980年创刊,现为月刊.主要报道能源、     

Understanding the low temperature electrochemistry of magnesium-lithium hybrid ion battery in all-phenyl-complex solutions

Magnesium-lithium hybrid ion batteries have emerged as a new class of energy storage systems owing to dendrite free cycling of magnesium anode and possibility of practice of numerous conventional lithium cathodes.In present work,we used hybrid ion strategy to analyze the performance of lithium titanate based lithium cathode,magnesium metal anode,and all-phenyl complex(APC)electrolytes at different temperatures(25℃,10℃,0℃,-10℃,and-20℃).The hybrid ion battery exhibited excellent rate performance(228 m Ah g^-1/20 m A g^-1 and 163 mAh g^-1/1000 mA g^-1)with stable voltage plateaus at 0.90 and 0.75 V,which corresponds to specific energy of 178 Wh kg^-1 at room temperature(25℃).Experimental results revealed that APC-THF solutions have strong potential to suppress the freezing of electrolyte solutions owing to low boiling point of THF.The low temperature electrochemical testing revealed the reversible capacities of 213.4,165.5,143.8,133.2 and 78.56 mAh g^-1 at 25,10,0,-10,and-20℃,respectively.Furthermore,ex-situ XRD,SEM,and EIS tests were carried out to understand the reaction kinetics of both Mg2+and Li+ions inside the lithium titanate cathode.We hope this work will shed light on low temperature prospective of electrochemical devices for use in cold environments.     

Ultra-small platinum nanoparticles segregated by nickle sites for efficient ORR and HER processes

In the electrochemical process,Pt nanoparticles(NPs)in Pt-based catalysts usually agglomerate due to Oswald ripening or lack of restraint,ultimately resulting in reduction of the active sites and catalytic efficiency.How to uniformly disperse and firmly fix Pt NPs on carbon matrix with suitable particle size for catalysis is still a big challenge.Herein,to prevent the agglomeration and shedding of Pt NPs,Ni species is introduced and are evenly dispersed in the surface of carbon matrix in the form of Ni-N-C active sites(Ni ZIF-NC).The Ni sites can be used to anchor Pt NPs,and then effectively limit the further growth and agglomeration of Pt NPs during the reaction process.Compared with commercial Pt/C catalyst,Pt@Ni ZIF-NC,with ultralow Pt loading(7 wt%)and ideal particle size(2.3 nm),not only increases the active center,but also promotes the catalysis kinetics,greatly improving the ORR and HER catalytic activity.Under acidic conditions,its half-wave potential(0.902 V)is superior to commercial Pt/C(0.861 V),and the mass activity(0.38 A per mg Pt)at 0.9 V is 4.7 times that of Pt/C(0.08 A per mg Pt).Besides,it also shows outstanding HER performance.At 20 and 30 mV,its mass activity is even 2 and 6 times that of Pt/C,respectively.Whether it is under ORR or HER conditions,it still shows excellent durability.These undoubtedly indicate the realization of dual-functional catalysts with low-Pt and high-efficiency properties.     

Effect of Flow-rate Induced Cation Mixing and Particle Size Tuning on the Structure and Electrochemical Properties of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 Synthesized by Spray Drying

Lithium ion battery cathode material LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2(NCM811)was synthe-sized via a spray drying method.The effect of different spray drying flow-rates(200,250,300,and 400 mL·min^-1)on the structural and electrochemical properties of NCM811 are investigated.We find that the contents of Ni,Co,and Mn in the NCM811 cathode materials do not change significantly with the changing flow-rate,but the lattice parameter and morphology of the materials are significantly affected.Under the optimal spray drying flow-rate(250 mL·min^-1),the obtained NCM811 cathode(250NCM811)exhibits the best crystallinity,with the highest ratio of I(003)/I(104)in the XRD pattern.SEM images reveal the spherical morphology of 250NCM811 and the average diameter of about 5 mm.The results of electrochemical test show that the reversible capacity of 250NCM811 reaches 210 mA·g^-1 at 0.2 C(1 C=280 mA·g^-1).After 100 charge-discharge cycles at 1 C,the battery retains more than 94%of its initial capacity.Overall,spray drying flow-rate demonstrates great effect on the electrochemical properties of NCM811.     

Recent advances in carbon-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

Fuel cells are one of the most promising clean energy devices to substitute for fossil fuel in the future to alleviate energy crisis and environmental pollution.As the key reaction on the cathode in the fuel cells,oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)still requires efficient noble metal catalysts such as the comme rcial Pt/C to boost the reaction for its sluggish kinetics.Therefore,it is critical to design earth-abundant carbonbased catalysts with high efficiency and long-term stability to replace the noble metal-based catalysts.This review focuses on the recent progress about carbon-based ORR catalysts including non-metal doped carbon materials,transition metal-nitrogen-carbon species,transition metal carbides/carbon,single atom catalysts,and other carbon hybrids.And we further infer that the excellent ORR performances can be achieved by the balance of geometric and electronic structures of catalysts such as conductivity,surface area,hierarchical porous structure,defect and doping effect.Additionally,the perspective development trend is also proposed to guide the rational designation of carbon-based catalysts for ORR and even extend to other energy storage and conversion fields in the future.     

Research on Chemical Reactivity of Nitrotriazolam in Its Process of Preparation

Chemical reaction possibility was described quantitatively for the case of nitrotriazolam preparation with 2-clonazepam by using the data of two quantum chemical reactivity indices: net electrophilicity index and Wiberg bond order. Furthennore, relevant reaction mechanism was derived from tlie aspect of quantum chemistry. The results show that the indices used can quantitatively explain the chemical reactivity and reaction mechanism of the nitrotriazolam preparation. To validate the universal applicability of the proposed approach, the authors continued to use the quantum chemical reactivity indices to describe some classic chemical reactions, expecting to predict major issues related to physical organic chemistry, such as new chemical reactions and their mechanisms.     

Fe,Cu-codoped metal-nitrogen-carbon catalysts with high selectivity and stability for the oxygen reduction reaction

Metal-nitrogen-carbon materials(M-N-C) are non-noble-metal-based alternatives to platinum-based catalysts and have attracted tremendous attention due to their low-cost,high abundance,and efficient catalytic performance towards the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR).Among them,Fe-based materials show remarkable ORR activity,but they are limited by low selectivity and low stability.To address these issues,herein,we have synthesized FeCu-based M-N-C catalysts,inspired by the bimetal center of cytochrome c oxidase(CcO).In acidic media,the selectivity was notably improved compared with Febased materials,with peroxide yields less than 1.2%(<1/3 of the hydrogen peroxide yields of Fe-N-C catalysts).In addition to Cu-N-C catalysts which can catalytically reduce hydrogen peroxide,the reduction current of hydrogen peroxide using FeCu-N-C-20 exceeded that of Fe-N-C by about 6% when the potential was greater than 0.4 V.Furthermore,FeCu-based M-N-C catalysts suffered from only a15 mV attenuation in their half-wave potentials after 10,000 cycles of accelerated degradation tests(ADT),while there was a 30 mV negative shift for Fe-N-C.Therefore,we propose that the H₂O₂ released from Fe-Nx sites or N-doped carbon sites would be reduced by adjacent Cu-Nx sites,re sulting in low H₂O₂ yields and high stability.