Yongliang Li

A core–shell heterostructure (p-MnCo ₂ O ₄ @MnS) exhibits an overpotential of 290 mV at 10 mA cm ⁻² as an OER catalyst.

Tailoring the anion-coordination in Li ⁺ solvation shells via MOF808 lowers desolvation energy and boosts interfacial ion transport, enabling high-rate, long-life polymer solid-state Li metal batteries.

In this work, a novel solid polymer electrolyte with a disordered structure has been designed, combining polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the flexible segments and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) as the rigid segments. The synthesis was realized by alternating flexible PEG with rigid HDI through a peptide bond (–CO–NH–), which disrupts the ordered structures of PEG, generating electron-deficient Lewis acid groups. The pathbreaking introduction of HDI blocks not only bridges links between the PEG molecules but also generates electron-deficient Lewis acid groups. Therefore, the original ordered structures of PEG are disrupted by both the alternating chains between PEG and HDI and the Lewis acid groups. As a result, the PEG_H/L4000 electrolytes (PEG molecular weight of 4000) exhibit a strong anion-capture ability that decreases the crystallinity of polymers, which further achieves a high ionic conductivity close to 10⁻³ S·cm⁻¹ with the lithium-ion transference numbers up to 0.88. The symmetric Li|PEG_H/L4000|Li cells maintain a low and stable voltage polarization for more than 800 h at 0.1 mA·cm⁻². Furthermore, the LiFePO₄|PEG_H/L4000|Li all-solid-state cells perform well both in cycling and rate performances. The design of polymer disordered structures for polymer electrolytes provides a new thought for manufacturing all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries with high safety as well as long life.

In the quest to overcome the obstacles encountered by zinc anodes and side reactions in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), researchers have presented a variety of innovative strategies. This research focuses on an approach by engineering angstrom pores (4.32 Å-8.57 Å), to serve as ion channels that selectively restrict the transport of [Zn(H₂O)₆]²⁺ ions based on size exclusion principles. Moreover, the utilization of nitrogen-enriched MET-6 as zincophilic sites enhances the adsorption of Zn²⁺ ions, thereby facilitating their desolvation process. Through rigorous experimental analysis and corroborated by computational simulations, it was demonstrated that the MET-6@Zn composite, serving as an artificial solid electrolyte interphase, can effectively suppress side reactions and ensure the maintenance of homogeneous electric fields and ion fluxes, which directed the uniform deposition of Zn²⁺ ions and realized high-performance Zn metal anodes. Notably, symmetric cells integrated with MET-6@Zn electrodes exhibited remarkable stability with continuous cycling for up to 3200 h at a current density of 0.5 mA cm^-2. In addition, full cells equipped with KVOH cathodes maintained an impressive capacity retention rate, retaining up to 82% of their initial capacity after 1250 cycles at a current density of 8 A g^-1, marking a substantial enhancement in comparison to the performance of bare zinc electrodes. The integration of confined ion channels and zincophilic sites presents a promising strategy for stabilizing zinc anodes, providing innovative solutions to persistent challenges in AZIB technology.

Manganese dioxide (MnO₂) is recognized as a promising candidate for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER); however, its practical application is hindered by limited active sites and low electrical conductivity. Fluorine (F), known for its strong electron affinity and electronegativity, can modulate the surface electronic structure and physicochemical properties of catalysts. In this study, we synthesized MnO₂ nanosheets and fluorine-doped MnO₂ (F-MnO₂) using simple hydrothermal and ion-exchange methods. We then assessed the influence of fluorine doping on the intrinsic OER activity and stability of these catalysts, as well as their underlying catalytic mechanisms. By manipulating the amount of fluorine introduced and the fluorination temperature, we explored the relationship between varying fluorine concentrations and OER performance. The experimental results show that F-MnO₂ exhibits higher OER activity than pristine MnO₂. At a current density of 10 mA cm^–2, the overpotential required for F-MnO₂ is merely 320 mV, substantially lower than that of pristine MnO₂. This enhanced performance is ascribed to fluorine doping, which leads to an increased quantity of active Mn³⁺ centers and oxygen vacancies, along with an expanded electrochemically active surface area. Furthermore, F-MnO₂ displays improved stability during the testing period. It maintains long-term stability for over 25 h, further corroborating the catalyst’s excellent anti-oxidation and anti-corrosion properties in alkaline water electrolysis.

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a critical half-reaction in water splitting and metal-air cells. The sensitivity of the OER to the composition and structure of the electrocatalyst presents a significant challenge in elucidating the structure-property relationship. In this study, highly stable single-crystal cobalt carbonate hydroxide [Co₂(OH)₂CO₃, CoCH] was used as a model to investigate the correlations among structure, composition, and reactivity. Single-crystal CoCH nanowires (denoted as CoCH NWs) and Fe-doped CoCH nanowires (denoted as Fe-CoCH NWs) with an exposed (210) facet and Fe-doped CoCH nanosheets (denoted as Fe-CoCH NSs) with an exposed (2-13) facet were synthesized using electrochemical and one-step hydrothermal strategies, respectively. Their OER activity decreased in the following order: Fe-CoCH NWs > Fe-CoCH NSs > CoCH NWs. Theoretical investigation suggested that the doped Fe sites serve as active sites, and the crystal-facet dependence can finely adjust the 3d configuration of Fe sites, resulting in the optimal adsorption strengths and energy barriers for potential-determining steps on the (210) facet of CoCH. This renders the as-prepared Fe-CoCH NWs as some of the most promising Co-based OER catalysts.

MIL-100(Fe)/TiO₂/CoO_x was synthesized through a facile microwave-assisted hydrothermal method followed by atomic layer deposition and exhibits exceptional photocatalytic OER performance.