Natural Soft/Rigid Superlattices as Anodes for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries

Volume expansion and poor conductivity are two major obstacles that hinder the pursuit of the lithium-ion batteries with long cycling life and high power density. Herein, we highlight a misfit compound PbNbS₃ with a soft/rigid superlattice structure, confirmed by scanning tunneling microscopy and electrochemical characterization, as a promising anode material for high performance lithium-ion batteries with optimized capacity, stability, and conductivity. The soft PbS sublayers primarily react with lithium, endowing capacity and preventing decomposition of the superlattice structure, while the rigid NbS₂ sublayers support the skeleton and enhance the migration of electrons and lithium ions, as a result leading to a specific capacity of 710 mAh g⁻¹ at 100 mA g⁻¹, which is 1.6 times of NbS₂ and 3.9 times of PbS. Our finding reveals the competitive strategy of soft/rigid structure in lithium-ion batteries and broadens the horizons of single-phase anode material design.     

High‐Performance K–CO2 Batteries Based on Metal‐Free Carbon Electrocatalysts

Metal–CO₂ batteries have attracted much attention owing to their high energy density and use of greenhouse CO₂ waste as the energy source. However, the increasing cost of lithium and the low discharge potential of Na–CO₂ batteries create obstacles for practical applications of Li/Na–CO₂ batteries. Recently, earth‐abundant potassium ions have attracted considerable interest as fast ionic charge carriers for electrochemical energy storage. Herein, we report the first K–CO₂ battery with a carbon‐based metal‐free electrocatalyst. The battery shows a higher theoretical discharge potential (E^?=2.48 V) than that of Na–CO₂ batteries (E^?=2.35 V) and can operate for more than 250 cycles (1500 h) with a cutoff capacity of 300 mA h g^?1. Combined DFT calculations and experimental observations revealed a reaction mechanism involving the reversible formation and decomposition of P12₁/c1‐type K₂CO₃ at the efficient carbon‐based catalyst.     

2020 Roadmap on Carbon Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion

Carbon is a simple, stable and popular element with many allotropes. The carbon family members include carbon dots, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers, graphene, graphite, graphdiyne and hard carbon, etc. They can be divided into different dimensions, and their structures can be open and porous. Moreover, it is very interesting to dope them with other elements (metal or non‐metal) or hybridize them with other materials to form composites. The elemental and structural characteristics offer us to explore their applications in energy, environment, bioscience, medicine, electronics and others. Among them, energy storage and conversion are extremely attractive, as advances in this area may improve our life quality and environment. Some energy devices will be included herein, such as lithium‐ion batteries, lithium sulfur batteries, sodium‐ion batteries, potassium‐ion batteries, dual ion batteries, electrochemical capacitors, and others. Additionally, carbon‐based electrocatalysts are also studied in hydrogen evolution reaction and carbon dioxide reduction reaction. However, there are still many challenges in the design and preparation of electrode and electrocatalytic materials. The research related to carbon materials for energy storage and conversion is extremely active, and this has motivated us to contribute with a roadmap on ‘Carbon Materials in Energy Storage and Conversion’.     

The Erd?s-Ginzburg-Ziv theorem for dihedral groups

Let n≥23 be an integer and let D_2n be the dihedral group of order 2n. It is proved that, if g₁,g₂,…,g_3n is a sequence of 3n elements in D_2n, then there exist 2n distinct indices i₁,i₂,…,i_2n such that g_i1g_i2?g_i2n=1. This result is a sharpening of the famous Erd?s-Ginzburg-Ziv theorem for G=D_2n.     

求解波束波导中激励-传输-辐射问题的积分方程方法

针对波束波导系统结构和馈电特性,应用体面积分方程建立了任意结构波束波导中电磁波的激励、传输和辐射问题所对应的物理模型.在激励端,采用模式展开方法描述输入口面场分布,并利用模式匹配方法精确模拟波束波导馈电端的匹配状况.通过对波束波导内部的实际结构的精确拟合,基于积分方程建立了激励-传输-辐射的电磁模型,并以高效数值解法给...     

On semisymmetric cubic graphs of order 6p~2

A graph r is said to be G-semisymmetric if it is regular and there exists a subgroup G of A := Aut(Г) acting transitively on its edge set but not on its vertex set. In the case of G. = A, we call r a semisymmetric graph. The aim of this paper is to investigate (G-)semisymmetric graphs of prime degree. We give a group-theoretical construction of such graphs, and give a classification of semisymmetric cubic graphs of order 6p2 for an odd prime p.     

Three-dimensional nanocarbon and the electrochemistry of nanocarbon/tin oxide for lithium ion batteries

In this work, the potential of using coconut shell, which is very cheap and readily available, for the production of graphitic nanocarbon three-dimensional networks is investigated. The three-dimensional carbon has been produced via the wet-impregnation of coconut shell powder with a transition metal catalyst. The novel process employed offers low costs and environmental advantages, with biological waste used in place of carbonaceous precursor as the feedstock. Nanocarbon/tin oxide composites were prepared via wet-impregnation and the solvothermal method, using tin chloride solution with the activated nanocarbon. The electrochemical performances of the three-dimensional nanocarbon doped with tin oxide and of activated nanocarbon alone as anode materials were investigated in rechargeable lithium ion batteries. One composite made by using the solvothermal method shows stable cyclic retention up to 100 cycles and delivers a high reversible capacity of about 405?mAh g^?1.