Toward More Realistic Estimates of Product Displacement in Life Cycle Assessment.

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is one of the most widely applied methods for sustainability assessment. A main application of LCA is to compare alternative products to identify and promote those that are more environmentally friendly. Such comparative LCA studies often rest on, explicitly or implicitly, an idealized assumption, namely, 1:1 displacement between functionally equivalent products. However, product displacement in the real world is much more complicated, affected by various factors such as the rebound effect and policy schemes. Here, we quantitatively review studies that have considered these aspects to evaluate the magnitude and distribution of realistic displacement estimates across several major product categories (biofuels, electricity, electric vehicles, and recycled products). Results show that displacement ratios concentrate around 40-60%, suggesting considerable overestimation of the benefits of alternative products if the 1:1 displacement assumption was used. Overall, there have been a small number of modeling studies on realistic product displacement and their scopes were limited. Additional research is needed to cover more product categories and geographies and improve the modeling of market and policy complexities. As such research accumulates, their displacement estimates can form a database that can be drawn upon by comparative LCA studies to more accurately determine the environmental impacts of alternative products.

One-Dimensional Single-Crystal Mesoporous TiO2 Supported CuW6O24 Clusters as Photocatalytic Cascade Nanoreactor for Boosting Reduction of CO2 to CH4.

Constructing nanoreactors with multiple active sites in well-defined crystalline mesoporous frameworks is an effective strategy for tailoring photocatalysts to address the challenging of CO2 reduction. Herein, one-dimensional (1-D) mesoporous single-crystal TiO2 nanorod (MS-TiO2-NRs, ≈110 nm in length, high surface area of 117 m2 g-1, and uniform mesopores of ≈7.0 nm) based nanoreactors are prepared via a droplet interface directed-assembly strategy under mild condition. By regulating the interfacial energy, the 1-D mesoporous single-crystal TiO2 can be further tuned to polycrystalline fan- and flower-like morphologies with different oxygen vacancies (Ov). The integration of single-crystal nature and mesopores with exposed oxygen vacancies make the rod-like TiO2 nanoreactors exhibit a high-photocatalytic CO2 reduction selectivity to CO (95.1%). Furthermore, photocatalytic cascade nanoreactors by in situ incorporation of CuW6O24 (W-Cu) clusters onto MS-TiO2-NRs via Ov are designed and synthesized, which improved the CO2 adsorption capacity and achieved two-step CO2-CO-CH4 photoreduction. The second step CO-to-CH4 reaction induced by W-Cu sites ensures a high generation rate of CH4 (420.4 µmol g-1 h-1), along with an enhanced CH4 selectivity (≈94.3% electron selectivity). This research provides a platform for the design of mesoporous single-crystal materials, which potentially extends to a range of functional ceramics and semiconductors for various applications.

Ultrafine Asymmetric Soft/Stiff Nanohybrids with Tunable Patchiness via a Dynamic Surface-Mediated Assembly.

Asymmetric soft-stiff patch nanohybrids with small size, spatially separated organics and inorganics, controllable configuration, and appealing functionality are important in applications, while the synthesis remains a great challenge. Herein, based on polymeric single micelles (the smallest assembly subunit of mesoporous materials), we report a dynamic surface-mediated anisotropic assembly approach to fabricate a new type of small asymmetric organic/inorganic patch nanohybrid for the first time. The size of this asymmetric organic/inorganic nanohybrid is ∼20 nm, which contains dual distinct subunits of a soft organic PS-PVP-PEO single micelle nanosphere (12 nm in size and 632 MPa in Young' modulus) and stiff inorganic SiO2 nanobulge (∼8 nm, 2275 MPa). Moreover, the number of SiO2 nanobulges anchored on each micelle can be quantitatively controlled (from 1 to 6) by dynamically tuning the density (fluffy or dense state) of the surface cap organic groups. This small asymmetric patch nanohybrid also exhibits a dramatically enhanced uptake level of which the total amount of intracellular endocytosis is about three times higher than that of the conventional nanohybrids.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Exosomal Long Noncoding RNAs in Diagnosis of NSCLC: A Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: Globally, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the primary cause of cancer-related mortality, both early and accurate diagnosis are essential for effective treatment and improved patient outcomes. Exosomal noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have emerged as promising biomarkers for NSCLC diagnosis. This meta-analysis aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of exosomal long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) for diagnosing NSCLC. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies that assessed the diagnostic performance of exosomal lncRNAs in NSCLC. Quality assessment and data extraction were performed independently by two reviewers. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and other relevant diagnostic parameters were calculated using a bivariate random-effects model. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were conducted to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Sixteen studies, comprising 1843 NSCLC cases and 1298 controls, were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of nine exosomal lncRNAs for diagnosing NSCLC were 0.74 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.69-0.79] and 0.78 (95% CI 0.68-0.85). The pooled area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for fifteen lncRNAs was 0.80 (95% CI 0.768-0.831). Meta-regression could not find any source for interstudy heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: Exosomal lncRNAs, particularly AL139294.1, GAS5, LUCAT1, and SOX2-OT, have excellent diagnostic accuracy and promising diagnostic potential in NSCLC. Therefore, they can be used as diagnostic tools for early detection of NSCLC.

Hydrogen-Bonded Mesoporous Frameworks with Tunable Pore Sizes and Architectures from Nanocluster Assembly Units.

Construction of mesoporous frameworks by noncovalent bonding still remains a great challenge. Here, we report a micelle-directed nanocluster modular self-assembly approach to synthesize a novel type of two-dimensional (2-D) hydrogen-bonded mesoporous frameworks (HMFs) for the first time based on nanoscale cluster units (1.0-3.0 nm in size). In this 2-D structure, a mesoporous cluster plate with ∼100 nm in thickness and several micrometers in size can be stably formed into uniform hexagonal arrays. Meanwhile, such a porous plate consists of several (3-4) dozens of layers of ultrathin mesoporous cluster nanosheets. The size of the mesopores can be precisely controlled from 11.6 to 18.5 nm by utilizing the amphiphilic diblock copolymer micelles with tunable block lengths. Additionally, the pore configuration of the HMFs can be changed from spherical to cylindrical by manipulating the concentration of the micelles. As a general approach, various new HMFs have been achieved successfully via a modular self-assembly of nanoclusters with switchable configurations (nanoring, Keggin-type, and cubane-like) and components (titanium-oxo, polyoxometalate, and organometallic clusters). As a demonstration, the titanium-oxo cluster-based HMFs show efficient photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution (3.6 mmol g-1h-1), with a conversion rate about 2 times higher than that of the unassembled titanium-oxo clusters (1.5 mmol g-1h-1). This demonstrates that HMFs exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity compared with unassembled titanium-oxo clusters units.

Implanting Colloidal Nanoparticles into Single-Crystalline Zeolites for Catalytic Dehydration.

The encapsulation of functional colloidal nanoparticles (100 nm) into single-crystalline ZSM-5 zeolites, aiming to create uniform core-shell structures, is a highly sought-after yet formidable objective due to significant lattice mismatch and distinct crystallization properties. In this study, we demonstrate the fabrication of a core-shell structured single-crystal zeolite encompassing an Fe3O4 colloidal core via a novel confinement stepwise crystallization methodology. By engineering a confined nanocavity, anchoring nucleation sites, and executing stepwise crystallization, we have successfully encapsulated colloidal nanoparticles (CN) within single-crystal zeolites. These grafted sites, alongside the controlled crystallization process, compel the zeolite seed to nucleate and expand along the Fe3O4 colloidal nanoparticle surface, within a meticulously defined volume (1.5×107≤V≤1.3×108 nm3). Our strategy exhibits versatility and adaptability to an array of zeolites, including but not restricted to ZSM-5, NaA, ZSM-11, and TS-1 with polycrystalline zeolite shell. We highlight the uniformly structured magnetic-nucleus single-crystalline zeolite, which displays pronounced superparamagnetism (14 emu/g) and robust acidity (~0.83 mmol/g). This innovative material has been effectively utilized in a magnetically stabilized bed (MSB) reactor for the dehydration of ethanol, delivering an exceptional conversion rate (98 %), supreme ethylene selectivity (98 %), and superior catalytic endurance (in excess of 100 hours).

Scalable Synthesis of Si Nanosheets as Stable Anodes for Practical Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Silicon (Si) is regarded as a promising anode material because of its outstanding theoretical capacity, abundant existence, and mature infrastructure, but it suffers from an inherent volume expansion problem. Herein, a facile, scalable, and cost-effective route to produce Si nanosheets (Si NSs) using a low-cost silica fume as the start materials is proposed. After coated with carbon, the as-prepared Si-NSs@C material delivers ultrahigh capability (2770 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C), high initial Coulombic efficiency (87.9%), and long cycling lifespan (100 cycles at 0.5 C with a capacity decay rate of 0.3% per cycle). Beyond proof of concept, this work demonstrates a Si-NSs based pouch cell with an impressive capacity retention of 70.9% after 400 cycles, making it more promising for practical application. Revealed by the theoretical simulation, kinetics analysis, and in situ thickness/pressure detection, it is found that the superior performance of Si-NSs is attributed to the improved diffusivity and reversibility of Li+ ions and low expansion.

Micelle-directed self-assembly of single-crystal-like mesoporous stoichiometric oxides for high-performance lithium storage.

Due to their uncontrollable assembly and crystallization process, the synthesis of mesoporous metal oxide single crystals remains a formidable challenge. Herein, we report the synthesis of single-crystal-like mesoporous Li2TiSiO5 by using soft micelles as templates. The key lies in the atomic-scale self-assembly and step-crystallization processes, which ensure the formation of single-crystal-like mesoporous Li2TiSiO5 microparticles via an oriented attachment growth mechanism under the confinement of an in-situ formed carbon matrix. The mesoporous Li2TiSiO5 anode achieves a superior rate capability (148 mAh g-1 at 5.0 A g-1) and outstanding long-term cycling stability (138 mAh g-1 after 3000 cycles at 2.0 A g-1) for lithium storage as a result of the ultrafast Li+ diffusion caused by penetrating mesochannels and nanosized crystal frameworks (5-10 nm). In comparison, bulk Li2TiSiO5 exhibits poor rate capability and cycle performance due to micron-scale diffusion lengths. This method is very simple and reproducible, heralding a new way of designing and synthesizing mesoporous single crystals with controllable frameworks and chemical functionalities.

Green bond financing, environmental regulation, and long-term value orientation: evidence from Chinese-listed companies.

In recent years, green bonds have become an important part of the green financial system. In this paper, we investigate theoretically and empirically how green bond financing impacts corporate long-term value orientation. To study this relationship, we manually collect green bond financing data and use Python to construct a measure reflecting corporate long-term value. Using a sample of Chinese A-share bond issuing companies from 2016 to 2021, we find that (1) green bond financing can significantly promote companies to pursue long-term value, in which financing costs, management's strategic risk-taking, and external supervision are the underlying mechanisms. (2) There is a synergistic effect between green bond financing and environmental regulation, which can jointly improve the intensity of corporate long-term value orientation. (3) The relationship between green bond financing and corporate long-term value is more significant in enterprises with heavily polluting, lower risk-taking levels, less strategic change, and lower financial mismatch risk. Our findings reveal the "corrective" effect of green bond financing on management's strategic decision-making, which provides new empirical evidence for comprehensively and accurately evaluating the role of green bonds and promoting the development of the green bond market.

Emulsion-oriented assembly for Janus double-spherical mesoporous nanoparticles as biological logic gates.

The ability of Janus nanoparticles to establish biological logic systems has been widely exploited, yet conventional non/uni-porous Janus nanoparticles are unable to fully mimic biological communications. Here we demonstrate an emulsion-oriented assembly approach for the fabrication of highly uniform Janus double-spherical MSN&mPDA (MSN, mesoporous silica nanoparticle; mPDA, mesoporous polydopamine) nanoparticles. The delicate Janus nanoparticle possesses a spherical MSN with a diameter of ~150 nm and an mPDA hemisphere with a diameter of ~120 nm. In addition, the mesopore size in the MSN compartment is tunable from ~3 to ~25 nm, while those in the mPDA compartments range from ~5 to ~50 nm. Due to the different chemical properties and mesopore sizes in the two compartments, we achieve selective loading of guests in different compartments, and successfully establish single-particle-level biological logic gates. The dual-mesoporous structure enables consecutive valve-opening and matter-releasing reactions within one single nanoparticle, facilitating the design of single-particle-level logic systems.

Remodeling nanodroplets into hierarchical mesoporous silica nanoreactors with multiple chambers.

Multi-chambered architectures have attracted much attention due to the ability to establish multifunctional partitions in different chambers, but manipulating the chamber numbers and coupling multi-functionality within the multi-chambered mesoporous nanoparticle remains a challenge. Herein, we propose a nanodroplet remodeling strategy for the synthesis of hierarchical multi-chambered mesoporous silica nanoparticles with tunable architectures. Typically, the dual-chambered nanoparticles with a high surface area of ~469 m2 g-1 present two interconnected cavities like a calabash. Furthermore, based on this nanodroplet remodeling strategy, multiple species (magnetic, catalytic, optic, etc.) can be separately anchored in different chamber without obvious mutual-crosstalk. We design a dual-chambered mesoporous nanoreactors with spatial isolation of Au and Pd active-sites for the cascade synthesis of 2-phenylindole from 1-nitro-2-(phenylethynyl)benzene. Due to the efficient mass transfer of reactants and intermediates in the dual-chambered structure, the selectivity of the target product reaches to ~76.5%, far exceeding that of single-chambered nanoreactors (~41.3%).

In Vivo Anticoagulant and Antithrombic Activity of Depolymerized Glycosaminoglycan from Apostichopus japonicus and Dynamic Effect-Exposure Relationship in Rat Plasma.

Glycosaminoglycan from Apostichopus japonicus (AHG) and its depolymerized fragments (DAHGs) are anticoagulant fucosylated chondroitin sulfate. The aim of this study was to further evaluate the anticoagulant and antithrombic activity of AHG and DAHGs, as well as reveal the dynamic relationship between exposure and effect in vivo. The results demonstrated that AHG100 (Mw~100 kDa), DAHG50 (Mw~50 kDa), and DAHG10 (Mw~10 kDa) exhibited potent anticoagulant activity by inhibiting intrinsic factor Xase complex (FXase) as well as antithrombin-dependent factor IIa (FIIa) and factor Xa (FXa). These glycosaminoglycans markedly prevented thrombosis formation and thrombin-induced platelet aggregation in a dose- and molecular weight-dependent manner in vitro and in vivo. The further bleeding time measurement indicated that DAHG10 exhibited obviously lower hemorrhage risks than native AHG100. Following oral administration, DAHG10 could be absorbed into blood, further dose-dependently prolonging activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and thrombin time (TT) as well as inhibiting FXa and FIIa partially through FXase. Anticoagulant activity was positively associated with plasma concentration following oral administration of DAHG10. Our study proposed a new point of view to understand the correlation between effects and exposure of fucosylated chondroitin sulfate as an effective and safe oral antithrombotic agent.

Sub-10 nm Corrugated TiO2 Nanowire Arrays by Monomicelle-Directed Assembly for Efficient Hole Extraction.

Precise synthesis of well-ordered ultrathin nanowire arrays with tunable active surface, though attractive in optoelectronics, remains challenging to date. Herein, well-aligned sub-10 nm TiO2 nanowire arrays with controllable corrugated structure have been synthesized by a unique monomicelle-directed assembly method. The nanowires with an exceptionally small diameter of ∼8 nm abreast grow with an identical adjacent distance of ∼10 nm, forming vertically aligned arrays (∼800 nm thickness) with a large surface area of ∼102 m2 g-1. The corrugated structure consists of bowl-like concave structures (∼5 nm diameter) that are closely arranged along the axis of the ultrathin nanowires. And the diameter of the concave structures can be finely manipulated from ∼2 to 5 nm by simply varying the reaction time. The arrays exhibit excellent charge dynamic properties, leading to a high applied bias photon-to-current efficiency up to 1.4% even at a very low potential of 0.41 VRHE and a superior photocurrent of 1.96 mA cm-2 at 1.23 VRHE. Notably, an underlying mechanism of the hole extraction effect for concave walls is first clarified, demonstrating the exact role of concave walls as the hole collection centers for efficient water splitting.

Synthesis of Fully Exposed Single-Atom-Layer Metal Clusters on 2D Ordered Mesoporous TiO2 Nanosheets.

A sulfhydryl monomicelles interfacial assembly strategy is presented for the synthesis of fully exposed single-atom-layer Pt clusters on 2D mesoporous TiO2 (SAL-Pt@mTiO2 ) nanosheets. This synthesis features the introduction of the sulfhydryl group in monomicelles to finely realize the controllable co-assembly process of Pt precursors within ordered mesostructures. The resultant SAL-Pt@mTiO2 shows uniform SAL Pt clusters (≈1.2 nm) anchored in ultrathin 2D nanosheets (≈7 nm) with a high surface area (139 m2 g-1 ), a large pore size (≈25 nm) and a high dispersion (≈99 %). Moreover, this strategy is universal for the synthesis of other SAL metal clusters (Pd and Au) on 2D mTiO2 with high exposure and accessibility. When used as a catalyst for hydrogenation of 4-nitrostyrene, the SAL-Pt@mTiO2 shows a high catalytic activity (TOF up to 2424 h-1 ), 100 % selectivity for 4-aminostyrene, good stability, and anti-resistance to thiourea poisoning under relatively mild conditions (25 °C, 10 bar).

Constructing Unique Mesoporous Carbon Superstructures via Monomicelle Interface Confined Assembly.

Constructing hierarchical three-dimensional (3D) mesostructures with unique pore structure, controllable morphology, highly accessible surface area, and appealing functionality remains a great challenge in materials science. Here, we report a monomicelle interface confined assembly approach to fabricate an unprecedented type of 3D mesoporous N-doped carbon superstructure for the first time. In this hierarchical structure, a large hollow locates in the center (∼300 nm in diameter), and an ultrathin monolayer of spherical mesopores (∼22 nm) uniformly distributes on the hollow shells. Meanwhile, a small hole (4.0-4.5 nm) is also created on the interior surface of each small spherical mesopore, enabling the superstructure to be totally interconnected. Vitally, such interconnected porous supraparticles exhibit ultrahigh accessible surface area (685 m2 g-1) and good underwater aerophilicity due to the abundant spherical mesopores. Additionally, the number (70-150) of spherical mesopores, particle size (22 and 42 nm), and shell thickness (4.0-26 nm) of the supraparticles can all be accurately manipulated. Besides this spherical morphology, other configurations involving 3D hollow nanovesicles and 2D nanosheets were also obtained. Finally, we manifest the mesoporous carbon superstructure as an advanced electrocatalytic material with a half-wave potential of 0.82 V (vs RHE), equivalent to the value of the commercial Pt/C electrode, and notable durability for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).

Unusual Mesoporous Titanium Niobium Oxides Realizing Sodium-Ion Batteries Operated at -40 °C.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are a promising candidate for grid-scale energy storage, however, the sluggish ion-diffusion kinetics brought by the large radius of Na+ seriously limits the performance of SIBs, let alone at low temperatures. Herein, a confined acid-base pair self-assembly strategy to synthesize unusual Ti0.88 Nb0.88 O4- x @C for high-performance SIBs operating at room and low temperatures is proposed. The confinement self-assembly of the acid-base pair around the micelles and confined crystallization by the carbon layer realize the formation of ordered and stoichiometric mesoporous frameworks with opened ion channels. Thus, the mesoporous Ti0.88 Nb0.88 O4- x @C exhibits rapid Na+ diffusion kinetics at 25 and -40 °C, which are one order higher than that of the nonporous one. A high reversible capacity of 233 mAh g-1 , excellent rate (a specific capacity of 103 mAh g-1 at 50 C), and cycling performances (<0.03% fading per cycle) can be observed at 25 °C. More importantly, even at -40 °C, the mesoporous Ti0.88 Nb0.88 O4- x @C can still deliver the 161 mAh g-1 capacity, a high initial Coulombic efficiency of 60% and outstanding cycling stability (99 mAh g-1 at 0.5 C after 500 cycles). It is believed this strategy opens a new avenue for constructing novel mesoporous electrode materials for low-temperature energy storage.

Lattice-Confined Single-Atom Fe1 Sx on Mesoporous TiO2 for Boosting Ambient Electrocatalytic N2 Reduction Reaction.

Mimicking natural nitrogenase to create highly efficient single-atom catalysts (SACs) for ambient N2 fixation is highly desired, but still challenging. Herein, S-coordinated Fe SACs on mesoporous TiO2 have been constructed by a lattice-confined strategy. The extended X-ray absorption fine structure and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra demonstrate that Fe atoms are anchored in TiO2 lattice via the FeS2 O2 coordination configuration. Theoretical calculations reveal that FeS2 O2 sites are the active centers for electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). Moreover, the finite element analysis shows that confinement of opened and ordered mesopores can facilitate the mass transport and offer an enlarged active surface area for NRR. As a result, this catalyst delivers a favorable NH3 yield rate of 18.3 µg h-1 mgcat. -1 with a high Faradaic efficiency of 17.3 % at -0.20 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode. Most importantly, this lattice-confined strategy is universal and can also be applied to Ni1 Sx @TiO2 , Co1 Sx @TiO2 , Mo1 Sx @TiO2 , and Cu1 Sx @TiO2 SACs. Our study provides new hints for the design and biomimetic synthesis of highly efficient NRR electrocatalysts.

Gradient Hierarchically Porous Structure for Rapid Capillary-Assisted Catalysis.

Synthesis of hierarchically porous structures with uniform spatial gradient and structure reinforcement effect still remains a great challenge. Herein, we report the synthesis of zeolite@mesoporous silica core-shell nanospheres (ZeoA@MesoS) with a gradient porous structure through a micellar dynamic assembly strategy. In this case, we find that the size of composite micelles can be dynamically changed with the increase of swelling agents, which in situ act as the building blocks for the modular assembly of gradient mesostructures. The ZeoA@MesoS nanospheres are highly dispersed in solvents with uniform micropores in the inner core and a gradient tubular mesopore shell. As a nanoreactor, such hierarchically gradient porous structures enable the capillary-directed fast mass transfer from the solutions to inner active sites. As a result, the ZeoA@MesoS catalysts deliver a fabulous catalytic yield of ∼75% on the esterification of long-chain carboxylic palmitic acids and high stability even toward water interference, which can be well trapped by the ZeoA core, pushing forward the chemical equilibrium. Moreover, a very remarkable catalytic conversion on the C-H arylation reaction of large N-methylindole is achieved (∼98%) by a Pd-immobilized ZeoA@MesoS catalyst. The water tolerance feature gives a notable enhancement of 26% in catalytic yield compared to the Pd-dendritic mesoporous silica without the zeolite core.

Self-Assembly of Ir-Based Nanosheets with Ordered Interlayer Space for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation.

Iridium (Ir)-based electrocatalysts are widely explored as benchmarks for acidic oxygen evolution reactions (OERs). However, further enhancing their catalytic activity remains challenging due to the difficulty in identifying active species and unfavorable architectures. In this work, we synthesized ultrathin Ir-IrOx/C nanosheets with ordered interlayer space for enhanced OER by a nanoconfined self-assembly strategy, employing block copolymer formed stable end-merged lamellar micelles. The interlayer distance of the prepared Ir-IrOx/C nanosheets was well controlled at ∼20 nm and Ir-IrOx nanoparticles (∼2 nm) were uniformly distributed within the nanosheets. Importantly, the fabricated Ir-IrOx/C electrocatalysts display one of the lowest overpotential (η) of 198 mV at 10 mA cm-2geo during OER in an acid medium, benefiting from their features of mixed-valence states, rich electrophilic oxygen species (O(II-δ)-), and favorable mesostructured architectures. Both experimental and computational results reveal that the mixed valence and O(II-δ)- moieties of the 2D mesoporous Ir-IrOx/C catalysts with a shortened Ir-O(II-δ)- bond (1.91 Å) is the key active species for the enhancement of OER by balancing the adsorption free energy of oxygen-containing intermediates. This strategy thus opens an avenue for designing high performance 2D ordered mesoporous electrocatalysts through a nanoconfined self-assembly strategy for water oxidation and beyond.

Monodisperse Ultrahigh Nitrogen-Containing Mesoporous Carbon Nanospheres from Melamine-Formaldehyde Resin.

An aqueous emulsion polymerization self-assembly approach is demonstrated for the first time to synthesize ultrahigh nitrogen containing mesoporous polymer nanospheres, using melamine-formaldehyde resin oligomers as precursors. In the synthesis, change from alkaline to acidic conditions is critical for the formation of monodisperse mesostructured polymer nanospheres. Owing to unique structure of triazine stabilized in the covalent polymeric networks during the pyrolysis process, the derived mesoporous carbon nanospheres possess an ultrahigh nitrogen content (up to 15.6 wt%) even after pyrolysis at 800 °C, which is the highest nitrogen content among mesoporous carbon nanospheres. Furthermore, these monodisperse mesoporous carbon nanospheres possess a high surface area (≈883 m2 g-1 ) and large pore size (≈8.1 nm). As an anode for sodium-ion batteries, the ultrahigh nitrogen-containing mesoporous carbon nanospheres exhibit superior rate capability (117 mAh g-1 at a high current density of 3 A g-1 ) and high reversible capacity (373 mAh g-1 at 0.06 A g-1 ), indicating a promising material for energy storage.