In Situ Constructing Metal-Organic Complex Interface Layer Using Biomolecule Enabling Stabilize Zn Anode.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are considered as a promising candidate for next-generation large-scale energy storage due to their high safety, low cost, and eco-friendliness. Unfortunately, commercialization of ZIBs is severely hindered owing to rampant dendrite growth and detrimental side reactions on the Zn anode. Herein, inspired by the metal-organic complex interphase strategy, the authors apply adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to in situ construct a multifunctional film on the metal Zn surface (marked as ATP@Zn) by a facile etching method. The ATP-induced interfacial layer enhances lipophilicity, promoting uniform Zn2+ flux and further homogenizing Zn deposition. Meanwhile, the functional interlayer improves the anticorrosion ability of the Zn anode, effectively suppressing corrosion and hydrogen evolution. Consequently, the as-prepared ATP@Zn anode in the symmetric cell exhibits eminent plating/stripping reversibility for over 2800 h at 5.0 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2. Furthermore, the assembled ATP@Zn||MnO2 full cells are investigated to evaluate practical feasibilities. This work provides an efficient and simple strategy to prepare stabilized Zn anode toward high-performance ZIBs.

Preparation and characterization of PMT-TiO2-NTs@NiO-C/Sn-Sb composite electrodes by a two-step pulsed electrodeposition method for the degradation of crystalline violet.

To overcome the limitations imposed by Sn-Sb electrodes, the titanium foam (PMT)-TiO2-NTs@NiO-C/Sn-Sb composite electrodes with cubic crystal structure are synthesized by introducing NiO@C nanosheet arrays interlayer on the TiO2-NTs/PMT matrix through hydrothermal and carbonization process. Then a two-step pulsed electrodeposition method is used to prepare the Sn-Sb coating. Benefiting from the advantages of stacked 2D layer-sheet structure, the obtained electrodes exhibit enhanced stability and conductivity. Synergy of inner and outer layers fabricated by different pulse times strongly influence the electrochemical catalytic properties of the PMT-TiO2-NTs@NiO-C/Sn-Sb (Sn-Sb) electrode. Hence, the Sn-Sb (b0.5 h + w1 h) electrode is the optimal electrode to degrade the Crystalline Violet (CV). Next, the effect of the four experimental parameters (initial CV concentration, current density, pH value and supporting electrolyte concentration) on the degradation of CV by the electrode are investigated. The degradation of the CV is more sensitive to alkaline pH, and the rapid decolorization of CV when the pH is 10. Moreover, the possible electrocatalytic degradation pathway of CV is performed using HPLC-MS. Results from the tests show that the PMT-TiO2-NTs/NiO@C/Sn-Sb (b0.5 h + w1 h) electrode is an interesting alternative material in industrial wastewater applications.

When MXene (Ti3C2Tx) meet Ti/PbO2: An improved electrocatalytic activity and stability.

Stable electrode materials with high catalytic activity are urgently required for electrochemical degradation of refractory organic pollutants in wastewater treatment. Herein, high conductive MXene (Ti3C2Tx) was firstly fabricated by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) as an interlayer for preparing a novel PbO2 electrode. The well-conducted Ti3C2Tx interlayer significantly improved the electrochemical performance of the EPD-2.0/PbO2 (EPD time was 2.0 min) electrode with the charge transfer resistance decreased by 9.51 times, the inner active sites increased by 5.21 times and the ∙OH radicals generation ability enhanced by 4.07 times than the control EPD-0/PbO2 anode. Consequently, the EPD-2.0/PbO2 electrode achieved nearly 100% basic fuchsin (BF) and 86.78% COD removal efficiency after 3.0 h electrolysis. Therefore, this new PbO2 electrode presented a promising potential for electrochemical degradation of BF and the new Ti3C2Tx middle layer could also be used to fabricate other efficient and stable anodes, such as SnO2, MnO2, TiO2, etc.