Ruslan D. Yamaletdinov

Electrode morphology critically determines the stability and efficiency of lithium metal anodes, yet no predictive framework has explained how measurable parameters control deposition. Here we introduce the first theoretical model of electrochemical Ostwald ripening, capturing the competition between electroplating and surface-energy-driven redistribution and identifying it as the governing process behind morphology evolution in the nondendritic regime. The framework explicitly incorporates solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) resistance, electrolyte conductivity, electrode wettability, and current density, revealing the transition from a 2D SEI-limited to a 3D electrolyte-limited growth. The model yields analytical expressions for nucleus size, density, and distribution that quantitatively reproduce independent experimental results and establishes a direct link between plating conditions, morphology, and Coulombic efficiency. By providing experimentally accessible relationships between key parameters and deposition outcomes, the framework enables a predictive understanding of lithium plating and provides a broadly applicable basis for controlling electrodeposition morphology across diverse electrochemical systems.

UV-induced phosphorescence from the lowest triplet state T₁ of tryptophan (Trp) residues is widely used to monitor the structural dynamics of host proteins on long time scales. Probing the intrinsic properties of this optically "dark" state requires studies of Trp isolated in the gas phase, which are challenging due to low sample concentrations and the need to monitor the triplet over extended time scales. We discovered that excitation of cold, protonated noncovalent TrpH⁺-(H₂O)_n complexes (n ≥ 6) by UV light of specific wavelengths induces evaporation of two water molecules and promotes tryptophan to the triplet state. Subsequent photofragmentation dynamic, monitored by mass spectrometry and ion spectroscopy, yields rate constants for intrinsic triplet-state quenching via phosphorescence and reverse intersystem crossing. The T₁ lifetime is approximately 1 s at 7 K and is dominated by phosphorescence; it decreases to tens of milliseconds at ∼40 K and is estimated to be ∼10 ms at room temperature.

Dendritic lithium growth on the current collector remains a major obstacle to developing anode‐less batteries, arising from inhomogeneous lithium nucleation and uneven surface lithiophilicity. Existing approaches, such as metallic or carbonaceous interlayers, often fail to stabilize lithium deposition due to mechanical degradation or spatial variations in lithium affinity. Here, we demonstrate that a monolayer amorphous carbon (MAC) film—a single‐atom‐thick disordered sp ² network grown directly on copper—can fundamentally alter lithium nucleation behavior. The topological disorder of MAC produces a dense distribution of electron‐rich sites that uniformly strengthen lithium binding. As a result, the MAC surface exhibits a lithium contact angle of 31 ± 5°, four times lower than that of graphene and nearly three times lower than that of bare copper, leading to homogeneous wetting and deposition. Electrochemical tests reveal a reduced nucleation overpotential of 28.9 mV at 0.5 mA cm ⁻² . Density functional theory and scanning tunneling microscopy confirm that disorder‐induced localization of states near the Fermi level enhances electronegativity and forms continuous lithium‐binding sites. These findings establish intrinsic structural disorder, rather than chemical doping, as an effective route to designing uniformly lithiophilic current collectors for next‐generation anode‐less batteries.

This study investigates spin decoherence in large disordered carbon nanosphere (CNS) particles with a focus on predicting and extending the electron spin qubit decoherence time (T₂). We present and experimentally validate a simple analytical model that predicts T₂ and reveal how defects─such as carbon vacancies, hydrogen chemisorption, and substitutional impurities─along with their concentration and distribution, impact T₂. This model offers insights into the interplay among spin density distribution, structural defects, and isotopic composition, demonstrating the role of defect minimization through controlled annealing in enhancing spin coherence. Through comparison with experimental data, we validate our model and demonstrate that spin polarization in the CNS is likely evenly distributed over a characteristic region of approximately 5 nm for T₂ ∼ 200 ns. Based on these findings, we propose a synthetic protocol involving a confined annealing procedure that extends the spin lifetime in the CNS to up to 362 ns. With observed improvements in T₂, our findings provide valuable guidelines for optimizing electron spin coherence time in quantum devices and spintronic applications.

Cold ion spectroscopy coupled with mass spectrometry and quantum chemical calculations enhanced by neural network search reveal 3D structures of Phe ₂ oligomers.

The geometry of biomolecules isolated in the gas phaseusuallydiffers substantially from their native structures in aqueous solution,which are the only ones truly relevant to life science. To connectthe high resolution of cold ion spectroscopy that can be achievedin the gas phase and the key role of intermolecular hydrogen bondsthat shape biomolecules in water, we study protonated tryptophan microhydratedby 1-6 water molecules. IR/UV spectra measured with the sameinstrument under similar conditions appear to be identical for thecomplexes of the same size produced by soft dehydration and cryogeniccondensation methods. This observation points to the lack of kinetictrapping in the dehydration/rehydration processes. Quantum chemistrycomputations allow for the unambiguous assignment of the measuredIR spectra to the most stable conformers of the complexes. The calculationsreveal that retaining as few as four water molecules still conservesmost of the TrpH(+) native structural features.

Illustration of NO ₂ adsorption sites on the oxyfluorinated graphene surface.

Properties of the hydrogen fuel cell composed only of graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) are theoretically studied. The optimal parameters of composite GO/rGO electrodes for the best fuel cell performance are determined.