Electrolyte design for Li-ion batteries under extreme operating conditions.

The ideal electrolyte for the widely used LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811)||graphite lithium-ion batteries is expected to have the capability of supporting higher voltages (≥4.5 volts), fast charging (≤15 minutes), charging/discharging over a wide temperature range (±60 degrees Celsius) without lithium plating, and non-flammability1-4. No existing electrolyte simultaneously meets all these requirements and electrolyte design is hindered by the absence of an effective guiding principle that addresses the relationships between battery performance, solvation structure and solid-electrolyte-interphase chemistry5. Here we report and validate an electrolyte design strategy based on a group of soft solvents that strikes a balance between weak Li+-solvent interactions, sufficient salt dissociation and desired electrochemistry to fulfil all the aforementioned requirements. Remarkably, the 4.5-volt NMC811||graphite coin cells with areal capacities of more than 2.5 milliampere hours per square centimetre retain 75 per cent (54 per cent) of their room-temperature capacity when these cells are charged and discharged at -50 degrees Celsius (-60 degrees Celsius) at a C rate of 0.1C, and the NMC811||graphite pouch cells with lean electrolyte (2.5 grams per ampere hour) achieve stable cycling with an average Coulombic efficiency of more than 99.9 per cent at -30 degrees Celsius. The comprehensive analysis further reveals an impedance matching between the NMC811 cathode and the graphite anode owing to the formation of similar lithium-fluoride-rich interphases, thus effectively avoiding lithium plating at low temperatures. This electrolyte design principle can be extended to other alkali-metal-ion batteries operating under extreme conditions.

Generation of advanced cerebellar organoids for neurogenesis and neuronal network development.

Neurons within the cerebellum form temporal-spatial connections through the cerebellum, and the entire brain. Organoid models provide an opportunity to model the early differentiation of the developing human cerebellum, which is difficult to study in vivo, and affords the opportunity to study neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases of the cerebellum. Previous cerebellar organoid models focused on early neuron generation and single cell activity. Here, we modify previous protocols to generate more mature cerebellar organoids that allow for the establishment of several classes of mature neurons during cerebellar differentiation and development, including the establishment of neural networks during whole-organoid maturation. This will provide a means to study the generation of several more mature cerebellar cell types, including Purkinje cells, granule cells and interneurons expression as well as neuronal communication for biomedical, clinical and pharmaceutical applications.

Multislip-enabled morphing of all-inorganic perovskites.

All-inorganic lead halide perovskites (CsPbX3, X = Cl, Br or I) are becoming increasingly important for energy conversion and optoelectronics because of their outstanding performance and enhanced environmental stability. Morphing perovskites into specific shapes and geometries without damaging their intrinsic functional properties is attractive for designing devices and manufacturing. However, inorganic semiconductors are often intrinsically brittle at room temperature, except for some recently reported layered or van der Waals semiconductors. Here, by in situ compression, we demonstrate that single-crystal CsPbX3 micropillars can be substantially morphed into distinct shapes (cubic, L and Z shapes, rectangular arches and so on) without localized cleavage or cracks. Such exceptional plasticity is enabled by successive slips of partial dislocations on multiple [Formula: see text] systems, as evidenced by atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy and first-principles and atomistic simulations. The optoelectronic performance and bandgap of the devices were unchanged. Thus, our results suggest that CsPbX3 perovskites, as potential deformable inorganic semiconductors, may have profound implications for the manufacture of advanced optoelectronics and energy systems.

Organophotocatalytic Remote Thiocyanation Reaction via Ring-Opening Functionalization of Cycloalkanols.

The remote C(sp3)-SCN bond formation via ring-opening functionalization of cycloalkanols with N-thiocyanatosaccharin as the precursor of SCN radicals and pyrylium salt as the organic photocatalyst under visible light has been developed. Thus, various terminal keto thiocyanates were prepared without transition metals and oxidants in moderate to good yields. The simplicity, wide substrate scope and mild conditions feature its synthetic application capability.

Me3SiBr-promoted cascade electrophilic thiocyanation/cyclization of ortho-alkynylanilines to synthesize indole derivatives.

A Lewis acid-promoted electrophilic thiocyanation/cyclization of ortho-alkynylanilines for the synthesis of indole derivatives has been developed. The reaction utilizes Me3SiBr as the Lewis acid and N-thiocyanatosuccinimide as the thiocyanation reagent. A series of 2-aryl-3-thiocyanato indoles were prepared in moderate to high yields under mild conditions without metals and oxidants. It provides an efficient protocol for the construction of the indole skeleton and C-SCN and C-N bonds in one step as well.

Immune-stealth VP28-conjugated heparin nanoparticles for enhanced and reversible anticoagulation.

Heparins are a family of sulfated linear negatively charged polysaccharides that have been widely used for their anticoagulant, antithrombotic, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties. Additionally, it has been used for acute cerebral infarction relief as well as other pharmacological actions. However, heparin's self-aggregated macrocomplex may reduce blood circulation time and induce life-threatening thrombocytopenia (HIT) complicating the use of heparins. Nonetheless, the conjugation of heparin to immuno-stealth biomolecules may overcome these obstacles. An immunostealth recombinant viral capsid protein (VP28) was expressed and conjugated with heparin to form a novel nanoparticle (VP28-heparin). VP28-heparin was characterized and tested to determine its immunogenicity, anticoagulation properties, effects on total platelet count, and risk of inducing HIT in animal models. The synthesized VP28-heparin trimeric nanoparticle was non-immunogenic, possessed an average hydrodynamic size (8.81 ± 0.58 nm) optimal for the evasion renal filtration and reticuloendothelial system uptake (hence prolonging circulating half-life). Additionally, VP28-heparin did not induce mouse death or reduce blood platelet count when administered at a high dosein vivo(hence reducing HIT risks). The VP28-heparin nanoparticle also exhibited superior anticoagulation properties (2.2× higher prothrombin time) and comparable activated partial thromboplastin time, but longer anticoagulation period when compared to unfractionated heparin. The anticoagulative effects of the VP28-heparin can also be reversed using protamine sulfate. Thus, VP28-heparin may be an effective and safe heparin derivative for therapeutic use.

Dual-band terahertz chiral metasurface absorber with enhanced circular dichroism based on temperature-tunable InSb for sensing applications.

Circular dichroism (CD) in terahertz (THz) regions has been widely used in biomonitoring, analytical chemistry, communication sensing, and other fields. Herein, we present a simple design for a dual-band THz chiral metasurface absorber (CMA) with a stronger CD effect based on temperature-tunable InSb for enhanced sensing applications. The proposed dual-band CMA consisted of a periodic array of the evolved C-shaped InSb adhered to a copper substrate. The designed CMA at 305 K achieved a right-handed circular polarization (RCP)-selective absorbance of 98.86% and 97.43% at 1.65 THz and 1.89 THz, respectively, and left-handed circular polarization (LCP) absorbance of 9.98% and 22.46%, respectively, and exhibited stronger CD values of 0.89 and 0.75. In addition, the CD properties of the designed CMA can be adjusted by changing the geometrical parameters of the unit-cell structure. The simulated electric field and power follow distributions indicate that this dual-band chiral-selective absorption of the designed CMA is due to the different plasma resonance mode excitations for the incident circular polarization (CP) wave. In addition, the CD properties of the designed CMA can be adjusted by changing the geometrical parameters of the unit-cell structure. Furthermore, CD spectra can be dynamically adjusted by varying the outside temperature and refraction index (RI) of the filled analytes. The designed dual-band CMA can function as a high-performance temperature sensor with sensitivities of 4.68 GHz K-1 and 5.52 GHz K-1 and also as an RI sensor with sensitivities of 1080 GHz RIU-1 and 860 GHz RIU-1, respectively. Our proposed tunable dual-band CMA with its exquisite performance has the potential to be widely applied in diverse areas such as detection, sensing, and other related optoelectronic fields.

Breathing in danger: Understanding the multifaceted impact of air pollution on health impacts.

Air pollution, a pervasive environmental threat that spans urban and rural landscapes alike, poses significant risks to human health, exacerbating respiratory conditions, triggering cardiovascular problems, and contributing to a myriad of other health complications across diverse populations worldwide. This article delves into the multifarious impacts of air pollution, utilizing cutting-edge research methodologies and big data analytics to offer a comprehensive overview. It highlights the emergence of new pollutants, their sources, and characteristics, thereby broadening our understanding of contemporary air quality challenges. The detrimental health effects of air pollution are examined thoroughly, emphasizing both short-term and long-term impacts. Particularly vulnerable populations are identified, underscoring the need for targeted health risk assessments and interventions. The article presents an in-depth analysis of the global disease burden attributable to air pollution, offering a comparative perspective that illuminates the varying impacts across different regions. Furthermore, it addresses the economic ramifications of air pollution, quantifying health and economic losses, and discusses the implications for public policy and health care systems. Innovative air pollution intervention measures are explored, including case studies demonstrating their effectiveness. The paper also brings to light recent discoveries and insights in the field, setting the stage for future research directions. It calls for international cooperation in tackling air pollution and underscores the crucial role of public awareness and education in mitigating its impacts. This comprehensive exploration serves not only as a scientific discourse but also as a clarion call for action against the invisible but insidious threat of air pollution, making it a vital read for researchers, policymakers, and the general public.

Interaction of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with PVC-microplastics and chromium counteracts oxidative injuries in Trachyspermum ammi L. by modulating antioxidants and gene expression.

The emergence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics (MPs) as pollutants in agricultural soils is increasingly alarming, presenting significant toxic threats to soil ecosystems. Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi L.), a plant of significant medicinal and culinary value, is increasingly subjected to environmental stressors that threaten its growth and productivity. This situation is particularly acute given the well-documented toxicity of chromium (Cr), which has been shown to adversely affect plant biomass and escalate risks to the productivity of such economically and therapeutically important species. The present study was conducted to investigate the individual effects of different levels of PVC-MPs (0, 2, and 4 mg L-1) and Cr (0, 150, and 300 mg kg-1) on various aspects of plant growth. Specifically, we examined growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange attributes, oxidative stress responses, antioxidant compound activity (both enzymatic and nonenzymatic), gene expression, sugar content, nutritional status, organic acid exudation, and Cr accumulation in different parts of Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi L.) seedlings, which were also exposed to varying levels of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) (0, 25, and 50 µg mL-1). Results from the present study showed that the increasing levels of Cr and PVC-MPs in soils significantly decreased plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange attributes, sugars, and nutritional contents from the roots and shoots of the plants. Conversely, increasing levels of Cr and PVC-MPs in the soil increased oxidative stress indicators in term of malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and electrolyte leakage, and also increased organic acid exudation pattern in the roots of T. ammi seedlings. Interestingly, the application of TiO2-NPs counteracted the toxicity of Cr and PVC-MPs in T. ammi seedlings, leading to greater growth and biomass. This protective effect is facilitated by the NPs' ability to sequester reactive oxygen species, thereby reducing oxidative stress and lowering Cr concentrations in both the roots and shoots of the plants. Our research findings indicated that the application of TiO2-NPs has been shown to enhance the resilience of T. ammi seedlings to Cr and PVC-MPs toxicity, leading to not only improved biomass but also a healthier physiological state of the plants. This was demonstrated by a more balanced exudation of organic acids, which is a critical response mechanism to metal stress.

Multinuclear 1H/13C/15N chemical shift assignment of therapeutic octreotide acetate performed at natural abundance.

Octreotide acetate, the active pharmaceutical ingredient in the long-acting release (LAR) drug product Sandostatin®, is a cyclic octapeptide that mimics the naturally occurring somatostatin peptide hormone. Modern NMR can be a robust analytical method to identify and quantify octreotide molecules. Previous 1H chemical shift assignments were mostly performed in organic solvents, and no assignments for heteronuclear 13C, 15N, and aromatic 1H nuclei are available. Here, using state-of-the-art 1D and 2D homo- and heteronuclear NMR experiments, octreotide was fully assigned, including water exchangeable amide protons, in aqueous buffer except for 13CO and 15NH of F1, 15NH of C2, and 15NζHζ of K5 that were not observed because of water exchange or conformational exchange. The solution NMR spectra were then directly compared with 1D 1H/13C/15N solid-state NMR (SSNMR) spectra showing the potential applicability of 13C/15N SSNMR for octreotide drug product characterization.

Directly Unveiling the Energy Transfer Dynamics between Alq3 Molecules and Si by Ultrafast Optical Pump-Probe Spectroscopy.

The energy transfer (ET) between organic molecules and semiconductors is a crucial mechanism for enhancing the performance of semiconductor-based optoelectronic devices, but it remains undiscovered. Here, ultrafast optical pump-probe spectroscopy was utilized to directly reveal the ET between organic Alq3 molecules and Si semiconductors. Ultrathin SiO2 dielectric layers with a thickness of 3.2-10.8 nm were inserted between Alq3 and Si to prevent charge transfer. By means of the ET from Alq3 to Si, the SiO2 thickness-dependent relaxation dynamics of photoexcited carriers in Si have been unambiguously observed on the transient reflectivity change (ΔR/R) spectra, especially for the relaxation process on a time scale of 200-350 ps. In addition, these findings also agree with the results of our calculation in a model of long-range dipole-dipole interactions, which provides critical information for developing future optoelectronic devices.

High-Resolution Metalens Imaging with Sequential Artificial Intelligence Models.

An analysis of the optical response of a GaN-based metalens was conducted alongside the utilization of two sequential artificial intelligence (AI) models in addressing the occasional issues of blurriness and color cast in captured images. The optical loss of the metalens in the blue spectral range was found to have resulted in the color cast of images. Autoencoder and CodeFormer sequential models were employed in order to correct the color cast and reconstruct image details, respectively. Said sequential models successfully addressed the color cast and reconstructed details for all of the allocated face image categories. Subsequently, the CIE 1931 chromaticity diagrams and peak signal-to-noise ratio analysis provided numerical evidence of the AI models' effectiveness in image reconstruction. Furthermore, the AI models can still repair the image without blue information. Overall, the integration of metalens and artificial intelligence models marks a breakthrough in enhancing the performance of full-color metalens-based imaging systems.

Effectiveness of the lay health advisor program on oral function and quality of life in aboriginal older adults: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Aboriginal older adults residing in remote areas have poor oral function due to inadequate access to healthcare services. Lay health advisor (LHA) strategies can fill capacity shortages of healthcare professionals in rural communities and increase population acceptance of health care or healthy behaviours. OBJECTIVE(S): To evaluate the effectiveness the LHA program on oral function and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among older adults in aboriginal community. METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG; n = 122) and a control group (CG; n = 118). All participants performed oral exercises, and the EG received additional one-on-one 30-min lessons by an LHA over 4 weeks. Data were collected through face-to-face interview and oral examination. The generalized estimating equation model was used to analyse changes in outcomes over time. RESULTS: The EG exhibited significantly greater improvement in swallowing (ß = .63) at the 6-month follow-up and in masticatory performance (ß = .52) and pronunciation of the syllable/pa/ (ß = 2.65) at the 2-week follow-up than the CG did. The EG had a significantly lower plaque control record (ß = -.14) and plaque index (ß = -.30) at the 3-month follow-up than the CG did. Moreover, the OHRQoL was significantly increased at 6-months follow-up in the EG (p = .010). CONCLUSION: The LHA program had positive effects on chewing, swallowing and plaque control in aboriginal older adults. LHA group also experienced positive long-term effect on OHRQoL after intervention.

Enhanced remediation of PFAS-metal co-contaminated soil by ceramsite supported Fe3O4-MoS2 heterojunction as a high-performance piezocatalyst.

In this study, a novel piezoremediation system was developed to remediate an actual soil co-polluted by high contents of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, 5725 µg/kg soil) and heavy metals (6455 mg/kg soil). Two piezocatalysts, MoS2/ceramsite (MC) and Fe3O4-MoS2/ceramsite (FMC), were synthesized using a facile hydrothermal-coprecipitation method. These two materials were employed to treat the co-contaminated soil in soil slurry environment under sonication. FMC exhibited significantly higher piezoremediation performance than MC, wherein 91.6% of PFAS, 97.8% of Cr6+ ions and 81% of total metals (Cr, Cu, Zn and Ni) were removed from the soil after 50 min of the FMC piezoremediation process. FMC also exhibited the advantages of easy separation from the slurry phase and excellent reusability. In comparison with MC, the Fe3O4-MoS2 heterojunction in FMC can stabilize MoS2 particles on the surface of ceramsite granules, promote the separation of electron/hole pairs, accelerate charge transfer, therefore enhancing piezocatalytic performance. The electron spin resonance analysis and free radical quenching tests show that •OH was the dominant oxidative radical responsible for PFAS degradation. The count of bacteria and the bacterial community structure in the treated soil can be basically restored to the initial states after 30 days of incubation under nutrient stimulation. Overall, this study not only provides a deep insight on soil remediation process, but also offers an efficient and reliable technique for simultaneous decontamination of organic and metal pollutants in soil.

Development and characterization of hydrogel-in-oleogel (bigel) systems and their application as a butter replacer for bread making.

BACKGROUND: Butter has been widely used in bakery products and it contains high level of saturated fats. However, excessive consumption of saturated fats would increase the risk of chronic disease. This study was to fabricate water-in-oil (W/O) type bigels as butter replacers to improve the quality attributes of breads. RESULTS: A stable water-in-oil (W/O) type bigel system was fabricated based on mixed oleogelators (rice bran wax and glycerol monostearate) and sodium alginate hydrogel. The ratios of oleogel to hydrogel could significantly affect the stability, microstructure and rheological properties of bigels. All of the bigels exhibited solid-like properties, with increased oleogel fractions, and the network structure of bigel became more compact and orderly with smaller sodium alginate gel particles. Meanwhile, the viscoelastic modulus and firmness of bigel increased, contributing to a higher stability. The bigel dough exhibited lower gel strength and relatively higher extensibility compared to the butter dough. Regardless of oleogel fractions, all the bigel produced bread with a higher specific volume and softer texture than the butter bread. When the oleogel fractions was less than 80%, increasing the oleogel fractions was more beneficial for improving the specific volume, softness and fluffy structure of bread. CONCLUSION: W/O type bigel as butter replacers showed great potential in improving the appearance, structure and textural properties of bread. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Transcriptome and histological analyses on the uterus of freckle egg laying hens.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we explored the characteristics and causes of freckle formation. We collected 15 normal and freckled eggs each for eggshell index testing and hypothesized that the structure and function of the uterus would have a direct effect on freckled egg production given that eggshells are formed in the uterus. To test this hypothesis, we collected uterine tissue from laying hens (418 days of age) that laid normal (Group C, n = 13) and freckled (Group T, n = 16) eggs for 7 consecutive days. RESULTS: When we examined the eggshell quality, we found that the L value was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the freckled site group of freckled eggs compared to the normal egg group during the detection of blunt pole, equator, and sharp pole of the eggshell color. The a-values of the three positions were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the freckled site group of freckled eggs, and the a-values of the blunt pole were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the background site group of freckled eggs, compared to the normal egg group. The b-values were significantly higher (P < 0.05) at three locations in the freckled site group of freckled eggs compared to the normal egg group. During the detection of eggshell thickness, the blunt pole was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the freckled egg site group of freckled eggs compared to the normal egg group, and there was no significant difference between the other groups (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the transverse and longitudinal diameters of the eggs in each group.We then performed histopathology and transcriptome analyses on the collected tissue. When compared with group C, uterine junctional epithelial cells in group T showed significant defects and cilia loss, and epithelial tissue was poorly intact. From transcriptomics, genes that met (|log2FC|) ≥ 1 and P < 0.05 criteria were screened as differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We identified a total of 136 DEGs, with 101 up- and 35 down-regulated genes from our RNA-seq data. DEGs identified by enrichment analyses, which were potentially associated with freckled egg production were: IFI6, CCL19, AvBD10, AvBD11, S100A12, POMC, and UCN3. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses showed that pathways were associated with immunoreaction and stress stimulation, e.g., complement activation, interleukin-1 cell reactions, viral responses, cell reactions stimulated by corticotropin releasing hormone, steroid hormone mediated signaling pathways, staphylococcal infections, B cell receptor signaling pathways, and natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity. CONCLUSIONS: From these data, freckled areas deepen freckled eggshell color, but background areas are not affected. At the same time,we reasoned that freckle eggs may result from abnormal immune responses and impaired uterine functions induced by stress. Therefore, the uterus of laying hens in a state of stress and abnormal immune function can cause the appearance of freckled eggs.

IL-27 mediates anti-inflammatory effect in cigarette smoke induced emphysema by negatively regulating IFN-γ producing cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in mice.

Chronic airway inflammation mediated by CD8+ T lymphocytes contributes to the pathogenesis of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Deciphering the fingerprint of the chronic inflammation orchestrated by CD8+ T cells may allow the development of novel approaches to COPD management. Here, the expression of IL-27 and IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 cells were evaluated in patients with COPD and in cigarette smoke-exposed mice. The production of IL-27 by marrow-derived dendritic cells (mDCs) in response to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) was assessed. The role of IL-27 in IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 cells was explored. We demonstrated that elevated IL-27 was accompanied by an exaggerated IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 response in a smoking mouse model of emphysema. We noted that lung dendritic cells were one of the main sources of IL-27 during chronic cigarette smoke exposure. Moreover, CSE directly induced the production of IL-27 by mDCs in vitro. IL-27 negatively regulated the differentiation of IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 cells isolated from cigarette smoke-exposed mice in a STAT1- and STAT3-independent manner. Systemic administration of recombinant IL-27 attenuated IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 response in the late phase of cigarette smoke exposure. Our results uncovered that IL-27 negatively regulates IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 response in the late stage of chronic cigarette smoke exposure, which may provide a new strategy for the anti-inflammatory treatment of smoking-related COPD/emphysema.

Second Near-Infrared (NIR-II) Window for Imaging-Navigated Modulation of Brain Structure and Function.

For a long time, optical imaging of the deep brain with high resolution has been a challenge. Recently, with the advance in second near-infrared (NIR-II) bioimaging techniques and imaging contrast agents, NIR-II window bioimaging has attracted great attention to monitoring deeper biological or pathophysiological processes with high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and spatiotemporal resolution. Assisted with NIR-II bioimaging, the modulation of structure and function of brain is promising to be noninvasive and more precise. Herein, in this review, first the advantage of NIR-II light in brain imaging from the interaction between NIR-II and tissue is elaborated. Then, several specific NIR-II bioimaging technologies are introduced, including NIR-II fluorescence imaging, multiphoton fluorescence imaging, and photoacoustic imaging. Furthermore, the corresponding contrast agents are summarized. Next, the application of various NIR-II bioimaging technologies in visualizing the characteristics of cerebrovascular network and monitoring the changes of the pathology signals will be presented. After that, the modulation of brain structure and function based on NIR-II bioimaging will be discussed, including treatment of glioblastoma, guidance of cell transplantation, and neuromodulation. In the end, future perspectives that would help improve the clinical translation of NIR-II light are proposed.

In Situ Growth of Iron Sulfide on Fast Charge Transfer V2 C-MXene for Superior Sodium Storage Anodes.

Due to the upstream pressure of lithium resources, low-cost sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have become the most potential candidates for energy storage systems in the new era. However, anode materials of SIBs have always been a major problem in their development. To address this, V2 C/Fe7 S8 @C composites with hierarchical structures prepared via an in situ synthesis method are proposed here. The 2D V2 C-MXene as the growth substrate for Fe7 S8  greatly improves the rate capability of SIBs, and the carbon layer on the surface provides a guarantee for charge-discharge stability. Unexpectedly, the V2 C/Fe7 S8 @C anode achieves satisfactory sodium storage capacity and exceptional rate performance (389.7 mAh g-1  at 5 A g-1 ). The sodium storage mechanism and origin of composites are thoroughly studied via ex situ characterization techniques and first-principles calculations. Furthermore, the constructed sodium-ion capacitor assembled with N-doped porous carbon delivers excellent energy density (135 Wh kg-1 ) and power density (11 kW kg-1 ), showing certain practical value. This work provides an advanced system of sodium storage anode materials and broadens the possibility of MXene-based materials in the energy storage.

Bidirectional planar absorber with polarization-selective absorption and transmission capabilities.

In this study, we developed a novel planar bidirectional perfect metamaterial absorber (PMA) with polarization-selective absorption and transmission capabilities. The proposed structure can bidirectionally absorb x-polarized incident waves almost perfectly while functioning as a transparent surface for y-polarized incident waves at the same frequency. We discussed the performance and properties of the proposed PMA through simulation results and a theoretical model. We also used the free-space method in experimental tests of a fabricated sample. The results indicated fair consistency between the simulated and measured results, thereby validating the quality of our PMA design.