Ultra-High Proportion of Grain Boundaries in Zinc Metal Anode Spontaneously Inhibiting Dendrites Growth.

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries are an attractive electrochemical energy storage solution for their budget and safe properties. However, dendrites and uncontrolled side reactions in anodes detract the cycle life and energy density of the batteries.Grain boundaries in metals are generally considered as the source of the above problems but we present a diverse result. This study introduces an ultra-high proportion of grain boundaries on zinc electrodes through femtosecond laser bombardment to enhance stability of zinc metal/electrolyte interface.The ultra-high proportion of grain boundaries promotes the homogenization of zinc growth potential, to achieve uniform nucleation and growth, thereby suppressing dendrite formation. Additionally, the abundant active sites mitigate the side reactions during the electrochemical process. Consequently, the 15-µm-Fs-Zn||MnO2 pouch cell achieves an energy density of 249.4 Wh kg-1 and  operates for over 60 cycles at a depth-of-discharge of 23%. The recognition of the favorable influence exerted by UP-GBs paves a new way for other metal batteries.

Fluoride Doping Na3 Al2/3 V4/3 (PO4 )3 Microspheres As Cathode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries with Multielectron Redox.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are potential candidates for large energy storage usage because of the natural abundance and cheap sodium. Nevertheless, improving the energy density and cycling steadiness of SIB cathodes remains a challenge. In this work, F-doping Na3 Al2/3 V4/3 (PO4 )3 (NAVP) microspheres (Na3 Al2/3 V4/3 (PO4 )2.9 F0.3 (NAVPF)) are synthesized via spray drying and investigated as SIB cathodes. XRD and Rietveld refinement reveal expanded lattice parameters for NAVPF compared to the undoped sample, and the successful cation doping into the Na superionic conductor (NASICON) framework improves Na+ diffusion channels. The NAVPF delivers an ultrahigh capacity of 148 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1 with 90.8% retention after 200 cycles, enabled by the activation of V2+ /V5+ multielectron reaction. Notably, NAVPF delivers an ultrahigh rate performance, with a discharge capacity of 83.6 mAh g-1 at 5000 mA g-1 . In situ XRD demonstrates solid-solution reactions occurred during charge-discharge of NAVPF without two-phase reactions, indicating enhanced structural stability after F-doped. The full cell with NAVPF cathode and Na+ preintercalated hard carbon anode shows a large discharge capacity of 100 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1 with 80.2% retention after 100 cycles. This anion doping strategy creates a promising SIB cathode candidate for future high-energy-density energy storage applications.

Photoexcitation-induced passivation of SnO2 thin film for efficient perovskite solar cells.

A high-quality tin oxide electron transport layer (ETL) is a key common factor to achieve high-performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the conventional annealing technique to prepare high-quality ETLs by continuous heating under near-equilibrium conditions requires high temperatures and a long fabrication time. Alternatively, we present a non-equilibrium, photoexcitation-induced passivation technique that uses multiple ultrashort laser pulses. The ultrafast photoexcitation and following electron-electron and electron-phonon scattering processes induce ultrafast annealing to efficiently passivate surface and bulk defects, and improve the crystallinity of SnO2, resulting in suppressing the carrier recombination and facilitating the charge transport between the ETL and perovskite interface. By rapidly scanning the laser beam, the annealing time is reduced to several minutes, which is much more efficient compared with conventional thermal annealing. To demonstrate the university and scalability of this technique, typical antisolvent and antisolvent-free processed hybrid organic-inorganic metal halide PSCs have been fabricated and achieved the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.14% and 22.75% respectively, and a 12-square-centimeter module antisolvent-free processed perovskite solar module achieves a PCE of 20.26%, with significantly enhanced performance both in PCE and stability. This study establishes a new approach towards the commercialization of efficient low-temperature manufacturing of PSCs.

Antipyretic Mechanism Exploration of HuanglianShangqing Pill Based on Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: HuanglianShangqing pill (HLSQ), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been used to treat fever in China for a long time. Our previous study had demonstrated that a total of 45 prototype components of HLSQ could be absorbed into the plasma of rats after intragastric administration. However, the detailed mechanisms related to the antipyretic effects of HLSQ were still unclear. METHODS: In the present work, urinary metabolomics coupled with network pharmacology were employed to evaluate the mechanisms of HLSQ in the treatment of fever compared with ibuprofen (IBU) and paracetamol (APAP). RESULTS: In pyrexia rats, a total of 11 potential metabolites and a disturbed TCA cycle were found. The metabolic regulation effects of HLSQ on fever rats were similar to APAP and could make the TCA cycle disorder return to normal by reducing citrate, ß-hydroxybutyrate, succinate. In addition, HLSQ could adjust the intestinal microbial disorder and inhibit inflammatory factors, including IL6, TNF, VEGFA, TP53, STAT3, etc. There were 40 components acting on fever targets in HLSQ; among them, luteolin, apigenin, ursolic acid, kaempferol, wogonin, daidzein, baicalein, emodin, berberine, and oroxylin A were the main active compounds of HLSQ in the treatment of fever. CONCLUSION: The antipyretic mechanisms of HLSQ are inhibition of inflammatory factors, action on the TCA cycle, and regulation of gut microbiota.

[Simulated Ozone Damage on Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) in a Winter Wheat Field].

An eddy-covariance system combined with a semi-mechanistic model was used to analyze variations in gross primary productivity (GPP) and to simulate the impact of ozone (O3) on GPP under different levels O3 concentrations over a winter wheat field in Nanjing. The results showed that GPP was higher during the middle of the growth period and low during the early and late growth periods, reaching a maximum of 40 µmol·(m2·s)-1. Using high and low ozone sensitivity settings,O3-damage in 150, 100, 50 nL·L-1 and control treatment (CK) reduced GPP by -72%, -36%, -6%, and -10%, and by -13%, -6%, -1%, and -2%, respectively. These results provide a scientific basis for formulating defense strategies for O3 damage to crops.

[Effects of reduced solar radiation on winter wheat flag leaf net photosynthetic rate].

Taking winter wheat Triticum aestivum L. (cv. Yangmai 13) as test material, a field experiment was conducted in Nanjing City to study the effects of simulated reduced solar radiation on the diurnal variation of winter wheat flag leaf photosynthetic rate and the main affecting factors. Five treatments were installed, i. e., 15% (T15), 20% (T20) , 40% (T40), 60% (T60), and 100% (CK) of total incident solar radiation. Reduced solar irradiance increased the chlorophyll and lutein contents significantly, but decreased the net photosynthetic rate (Pn). Under different solar irradiance, the diurnal variation of Pn had greater difference, and the daily maximum Pn was in the order of CK > T60 > T40 > T 20 > T15. In CK, the Pn exhibited a double peak diurnal curve; while in the other four treatments, the Pn showed a single peak curve, and the peak was lagged behind that of CK. Correlation analysis showed that reduced solar irradiance was the main factor affecting the diurnal variation of Pn, but the physiological parameters also played important roles in determining the diurnal variation of Pn. In treatments T60 and T40, the photosynthesis active radiation (PAR), leaf temperature (T1) , stomatal conductance (Gs) , and transpiration rate (Tr) were significantly positively correlated with Pn, suggesting their positive effects on Pn. The intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) and stomatal limitation (Ls) had significant negative correlations with Pn in treatments T60 and T40 but significant positive correlations with Pn in treatments T20 and T15, implying that the Ci and Ls had negative (or positive) effects on Pn when the solar irradiance was higher (or lower) than 40% of incident solar irradiance.

[Effects of simulated acid rain on leaf photosynthate, growth, and yield of wheat].

With winter wheat variety Yamgmai 12 as test object, a field experiment was conducted to study the stress of simulated acid rain on its growth and development. The results showed that simulated acid rain had considerable effect on wheat growth and yield. When the pH of acid rain was < or = 3.5, the growth of leaf area as well as the mass of fresh leaf per unit area declined greatly, and the yield was significantly lower than CK. When pH was < or = 2.5, the plant height was obviously lowered, and the visible injury on leaf surface was observed. Under acid rain stress, the contents of leaf chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid, especially chlorophyll a, decreased obviously. Acid rain also suppressed the synthesis of soluble sugar and reduced sugar, and the suppression was stronger at pH < or = 3.5, and became much stronger with increasing acidity. The total free amino acid and soluble protein contents in leaves decreased with increasing acidity, and were significantly lower than CK when the pH was < or = 3.5 and < or = 4.5, respectively.