Temperature‐Dependent Nucleation and Growth of Dendrite‐Free Lithium Metal Anodes

It is essential to develop a facile and effective method to enhance the electrochemical performance of lithium metal anodes for building high‐energy‐density Li‐metal based batteries. Herein, we explored the temperature‐dependent Li nucleation and growth behavior and constructed a dendrite‐free Li metal anode by elevating temperature from room temperature (20 °C) to 60 °C. A series of ex situ and in situ microscopy investigations demonstrate that increasing Li deposition temperature results in large nuclei size, low nucleation density, and compact growth of Li metal. We reveal that the enhanced lithiophilicity and the increased Li‐ion diffusion coefficient in aprotic electrolytes at high temperature are essential factors contributing to the dendrite‐free Li growth behavior. As anodes in both half cells and full cells, the compact deposited Li with minimized specific surface area delivered high Coulombic efficiencies and long cycling stability at 60 °C.     

Investigation of an Unusual Crystal Habit of Hydrochlorothiazide Reveals Large Polar Enantiopure Domains and a Possible Crystal Nucleation Mechanism

The observation of an unusual crystal habit in the common diuretic drug hydrochlorothiazide (HCT), and identification of its subtle conformational chirality, has stimulated a detailed investigation of its crystalline forms. Enantiomeric conformers of HCT resolve into an unusual structure of conjoined enantiomorphic twin crystals comprising enantiopure domains of opposite chirality. The purity of the domains and the chiral molecular conformation are confirmed by spatially revolved synchrotron micro‐XRD experiments and neutron diffraction, respectively. Macroscopic inversion twin symmetry observed between the crystal wings suggests a pseudoracemic structure that is not a solid solution or a layered crystal structure, but an unusual structural variant of conglomerates and racemic twins. Computed interaction energies for molecular pairs in the racemic and enantiopure polymorphs of HCT, and the observation of large opposing unit‐cell dipole moments for the enantiopure domains in these twin crystals, suggest a plausible crystal nucleation mechanism for this unusual crystal habit.     

Atomistic Simulation Study of Calcium,Phosphate and Fluoride Ion Association to the Teleopeptide‐Tails of Collagen – Initial Steps to Biomineral Formation

The attachment of single ions to putative adsorption sites in the tails of collagen fibers is investigated by means of molecular dynamics simulations and discussed with respect to the very early steps of apatite/collagen biomineral formation. Our studies clearly demonstrate an increased flexibility of the tails of the triple‐helical collagen protein. Apart from the termini of the backbone, several side chains were also observed to be freely accessible to ion attachment from aqueous solution. The teleopeptide was systematically scanned for suitable adsorption sites for calcium, phosphate and fluoride ions. Association of these ions was then explored from potential of mean force calculations. The resulting energy profiles reveal a variety of favorable protein‐ion bonds and hint at the suitability of the collagen tails to promote apatite aggregation.     

Growth Mechanism of Metal–Organic Frameworks: Insights into the Nucleation by Employing a Step‐by‐Step Route

One step at a time : The in situ monitoring of the step‐by‐step formation of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) by using surface plasmon resonance (SPR), allows the nucleation process and the formation of the secondary building units to be investigated. Growth rates on functionalized organic surfaces with different crystallographic orientations can also be studied.

     

电沉积二氧化锰成核机理及其充放电性能

采用计时电流法沉积纳米MnO₂电极材料,利用Scharifker-Hills成核理论模型分析时间-电流(i-t)曲线判断了MnO₂成核机理。 对3种不同的成核方式制得的MnO₂材料进行电化学超级电容性能测试、用SEM观察了其微观形貌。 比较了不同沉积方法对沉积材料结构、电容性能的影响。 计时电流测试发现,在0.1 mol/L Mn²⁺溶液中,电势阶跃至0.365 V,初始成核符合瞬时成核机理,在0.01 mol/L Mn²⁺溶液中,电势阶跃至0.418 V,初始成核存在瞬时成核和连续成核两种不同机理,在0.5 mmol/L Mn²⁺溶液中,电势阶跃至0.515 V,初始成核则符合连续成核机理。 超级电容性能测试发现,瞬时成核下制得的MnO₂电极材料相对于另外两种成核方式得到的电极材料具有更好的电容性能,这是因为瞬时成核更易于形成多孔、纳米片(棒)状等高比表面积的沉积物,表明制备方法影响MnO₂电极材料电容性能。