Yanhuai Ding

Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)‐based hydrogel electrolytes possess favorable ionic transport properties but relatively limited network stability. This study aims to regulate the PAA hydrogel network by introducing sulfonated starch (SS) and to clarify the relationship between structural evolution, mechanical behavior, and electrochemical performance. The incorporation of SS promoted network densification and enhanced intermolecular interactions, resulting in an elastic‐dominated viscoelastic response over a broad frequency range. With increasing SS content, the tensile strength increased from 18 to 43 kPa and the toughness from 63 to 194 kJ·m ⁻³ , while an elongation at break of approximately 850% was maintained. SS incorporation also improved the swelling and water‐retention behavior of the hydrogels. The ionic conductivity reached a maximum of approximately 117.3 mS·cm ⁻¹ for PAA‐SS‐7.5, whereas PAA‐SS‐10 exhibited the best long‐term electrochemical stability, with a discharge duration of approximately 42 h at 1 mA·cm ⁻² . These results demonstrate that SS incorporation provides an effective strategy for balancing mechanical stability, swelling and water‐retention behavior, ion transport, and electrochemical performance in PAA‐based hydrogel electrolytes.

As a critical component of sodium-ion batteries, the separator plays a pivotal role in determining the battery's physical properties, including ionic conductivity, mechanical strength, and thermal stability.

To address the capacity limitation of commercial graphite anodes and inherent drawbacks of pristine MnO electrodes, this work fabricates carbon/MnO composites in situ via an impregnation-carbonization-reduction route using natural Juncus effusus as the biomass carbon precursor, leveraging its native hierarchical porous architecture. The optimal C/MnO-0.125 sample features a high-purity single-phase structure, with MnO nanoparticles uniformly anchored on the carbon skeleton and the open mesoporous framework well preserved. It delivers a stable discharge capacity of 730–750 mAh g -1 after 150 cycles at 0.2 A g -1 , and shows markedly reduced interfacial charge transfer resistance after 700 cycles at 2.0 A g -1 , exhibiting excellent cycling stability and kinetic reversibility. Kinetic analyses confirm that lithium storage is synergistically dominated by ion diffusion and interfacial pseudocapacitance. The in-situ formed Mn 0 /Li 2 O heterostructure supplies extra interfacial capacity and mitigates lattice collapse at high current rates. The superior performance stems from the synergistic effect of the conductive carbon network, volume buffering, moderate MnO loading and stable composite interface. This work provides guidance for designing low-cost biomass-derived composite anodes and validates the promising energy storage potential of Juncus effusus as a green carbon framework.

This study delves into the transformation journey of Zr‐based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), focusing on enhancing their mechanical properties and hydrogen storage capacities through doping regulation. MOFs, a versatile class of crystalline porous materials, have garnered significant attention due to their unique properties and broad potential applications in gas storage, separation, catalysis, and sensing. Among them, Zr‐based MOFs stand out for their exceptional stability and high surface area. This study employs multiscale computational methods, including molecular dynamics simulations, grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations, and density functional theory, to conduct systematic research on six mainstream Zr‐based MOF materials (UiO‐66, UiO‐67, UiO‐68, MOF‐801, MOF‐802, and MOF‐841). Under the conditions of 66 K and 1 bar, it explores the influence of metal ion substitution (Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn) on their mechanical properties and hydrogen storage performance. The study reveals that metal ion substitution can significantly regulate the structural stability and hydrogen adsorption capacity of Zr‐based MOFs, providing an important basis for the design and optimization of high‐performance MOF functional materials.

Fe-based amorphous alloys have attracted increasing attention as potential current-collector materials because of their unique atomic structure and corrosion resistance. In this work, Fe ₇₈ Si ₁₃ B ₉ amorphous-alloy ribbons were employed as current collectors to investigate the influence of annealing treatment on the electrochemical behavior of Li||current collector half-cells. differential scanning calorimetry and x-ray diffraction analyses indicated that partial crystallization occurred after annealing at 480 °C, while the degree of crystallization further increased after annealing at 580 °C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations revealed obvious changes in surface morphology and crystallization features after annealing treatment. Electrochemical measurements showed that the Fe ₇₈ Si ₁₃ B ₉ alloy annealed at 580 °C demonstrated improved cycling stability and smaller polarization evolution compared with untreated alloy and Cu foil under the present testing conditions. The sample maintained a Coulombic efficiency of approximately 97% after 150 cycles at 1.0 mA cm ⁻² . In addition, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and SEM observations of Li deposition morphology suggested lower interfacial impedance and comparatively denser Li deposition morphology after annealing treatment. This work provides insight into the relationship between annealing-induced structural evolution and Li deposition behavior of Fe-based amorphous-alloy current collectors.

Molecular dynamics simulations explored how cooling rate, annealing temperature, and duration affect the atomic structure and mechanical properties of Fe ₇₈ Si ₁₃ B ₉ amorphous alloy. The modified embedded atom method (EAM) with Lennard–Jones potentials proved reliable, accurately predicting the glass transition temperature and radial distribution functions, while the EAM overestimated them. The as-quenched alloy has a fully amorphous structure with short-range order. Cooling rate variations have little impact on atomic arrangements. Annealing (753–953 K) induces structural relaxation without crystallization, enhancing short-range ordering and reducing free volume. Coordination and Voronoi analyses show Si- and B-centered environments rearrange during annealing, while Fe-centered ones remain stable. Uniaxial tensile simulations reveal that annealing improves mechanical performance, increasing yield strength and elastic modulus. This work offers atomistic insights for optimizing thermal treatments of Fe-based amorphous alloys.