Ultrafast and Ultralarge Lithium-Ion Storage Enabled by Fluorine-Nitrogen Co-Implanted Carbon Tubes.

As a holy grail in electrochemistry, both high-power and high-energy electrochemical energy storage system (EES) has always been a pursued dream. To simultaneously achieve the "both-high" EES, a rational design of structure and composition for storage materials with characteristics of battery-type and capacitor-type storage is crucial. Herein, fluorine-nitrogen co-implanted carbon tubes (FNCT) have been designed, in which plentiful active sites and expanded interlayer space have been created benefiting from the heteroatom engineering and the fluorine-nitrogen synergistic effect, thus the above two-type storage mechanism can get an optimal balance in the FNCT. The implanted fluorine heteroatoms can not only amplify interlayer spacing, but also induce the transformation of nitrogen configuration from pyrrole nitrogen to pyridine nitrogen, further promoting the activity of the carbon matrix. The extraordinary electrochemical performance as results can be witnessed for FNCT, which exhibit fast lithium-ion storage capability with a high energy density of 119.4 Wh kg-1 at an ultrahigh power density of 107.5 kW kg-1 .

Biosensor-based active ingredient recognition system for screening TNF-α inhibitors from lotus leaves.

Erhuangquzhi granules (EQG) have been clinically proven to be effective in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) treatment. However, the active components and molecular mechanisms remain unknown. This study aimed to screen active components targeting tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in EQG for the treatment of NASH by a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor-based active ingredient recognition system (SPR-AIRS). The amine-coupling method was used to immobilize recombinant TNF-α protein on an SPR chip, the specificity of the TNF-α-immobilized chip was validated, and nine medicinal herbs in EQG were prescreened. Nuciferine (NF), lirinidine (ID), and O-nornuciferine (NNF) from lotus leaves were found and identified as TNF-α ligands by UPLC‒MS/MS, and the affinity constants of NF, ID, and NNF to TNF-α were determined by SPR experiments (Kd = 61.19, 31.02, and 20.71 µM, respectively). NF, ID, and NNF inhibited TNF-α-induced apoptosis in L929 cells, the levels of secreted IL-6 and IL-1ß were reduced, and the phosphorylation of IKKß and IκB was inhibited in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In conclusion, a class of new active small-molecule TNF-α inhibitors was discovered, which also provides a valuable reference for the material basis and mechanism of EQG action in NASH treatment.

An Endogenous Prompting Mechanism for Sulfur Conversions Via Coupling with Polysulfides in Li-S Batteries.

The sluggish kinetics process and shuttling of soluble intermediates present in complex conversion between sulfur and lithium sulfide severely limit the practical application of lithium-sulfur batteries. Herein, by introducing a designated functional organic molecule to couple with polysulfide intermediators, an endogenous prompting mechanism of sulfur conversions has thus been created leading to an alternative sulfur-electrode process, in another words, to build a fast "internal cycle" of promotors that can promote the slow "external cycle" of sulfur conversions. The coupling-intermediators between the functional organic molecule and polysulfides, organophosphorus polysulfides, to be the "promotors" for sulfur conversions, are not only insoluble in the electrolyte but also with higher redox-activity. So the sulfur-electrode process kinetics is greatly improved and the shuttle effect is eliminated simultaneously by this strategy. Meanwhile, with the endogenous prompting mechanism, the morphology of the final discharge product can be modified into a uniform covering film, which is more conducive to its decomposition when charging. Benefiting from the effective mediation of reaction kinetics and control of intermediates solubility, the lithium-sulfur batteries can act out excellent rate performance and cycling stability.

An Active-Oxygen-Scavenging Oriented Cathode-Electrolyte-Interphase for Long-Life Lithium-Rich Cathode Materials.

Lithium-rich layered oxides with high energy density are promising cathode materials, thus having attracted a large number of researchers. However, the materials cannot be commercialized for application so far. The crucial problem is the releasing of lattice oxygen at high voltage and resulting consequence, such as decomposition of electrolyte, irreversible phase transition of crystal structure, capacity degradation, and voltage decay. Therefore, capturing active-oxygen and further constructing a cathode-electrolyte-interface (CEI) protective layer via the scavenging effects should be a fundamental step to solve these issues. Herein, ß-carotene with antioxidant properties is used as a scavenging molecule to achieve this goal. The control of active oxygen species effectively alleviates the decomposition of carbonate electrolyte under high voltage. The introduction of ß-carotene additives can also be adjusted in situ to generate a customized CEI film, which is a double-layer structure with external organic components and internal inorganic components. Moreover, the ß-carotene-containing electrolyte system exhibits better thermal stability. Benefited from these, Lithium-rich cathode of ß-carotene-containing electrolyte shows outstanding long-life cycle stability, with 93.4% capacity retention rate after 200 cycles at 1 C; this electrochemical stability is superior to other electrolyte additive systems reported at present.

Regulating Lithium Plating/Stripping Behavior by a Composite Polymer Electrolyte Endowed with Designated Ion Channels.

The urgent demand for high energy and safety storage devices is pushing the development of lithium metal batteries. However, unstable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) formation and uncontrollable lithium dendrite growth are still huge challenges for the practical use of lithium metal batteries. Herein, a composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) endowed with designated ion channels is fabricated by constructing nanoscale Uio66-NH2 layer, which has uniformly distributed pore structure to regulate reversible Li plating/stripping in lithium metal batteries. The regular channels within the Uio66-NH2 layer work as an ion sieve to restrict larger TFSI- anions inside its channels and extract Li+ across selectively, which result in a high Li-ion transference number ( t Li + ${t_{{\rm{L}}{{\rm{i}}^{\bm{ + }}}}}$ ) of 0.6. Moreover, CPE provides high ion conductivity (0.245 mS cm-1 at room temperature) and expanded oxidation window (5.1 V) and forms a stable SEI layer. As a result, the assembled lithium metal batteries with CPE exhibit outstanding cyclic stability and capacity retention. The Li/CPE/Li symmetric cell continues plating/stripping over 500 h without short-circuiting. The Li/CPE/LFP cell delivers a reversible capacity of 149.3 mAh g-1 with a capacity retention of 99% after 100 cycles.

All-in-One Theranostic Platform Based on Hollow Microcapsules for Intragastric-Targeting Antiulcer Drug Delivery, CT Imaging, and Synergistically Healing Gastric Ulcer.

Bismuth-containing therapies are suggested as first-line and rescue alternatives for gastric ulcer (GU) treatment and Helicobacter pylori eradication. The current treatment strategy is called quadruple therapy and includes proton pump inhibitors, bismuth, and two broad-band antibiotics. This fact may affect medication compliance, leading to a resistance rate of more than 25% to clarithromycin or metronidazole. To counter this, from the perspective of natural products, an intragastric-targeting all-in-one theranostic platform is established: a drug carrier microcapsule composed of multiple synergistic antiulcer drugs, including bismuth, gallotannin, and antibiotics is obtained (BiG@MCs), and the therapeutic effects of BiG@MCs in rodent models are further evaluated. The results show that the BiG@MCs are spherical with homogeneous particle size (3 ± 0.5 µm) and can be response-released to the acidic environment of the stomach (pH 2.0-3.0), preventing the premature release of the BiG@MCs in physiological conditions. It is worth noting that the bismuth component can be easily identified by computed tomography and other detection instruments, which provide the possibility for drug tracing. In summary, these results indicate that BiG@MCs provide a versatile intragastric-targeting drug delivery platform for GU therapeutics.

Constructing an Interlaced Catalytic Surface via Fluorine-Doped Bimetallic Oxides for Oxygen Electrode Processes in Li-O2 Batteries.

Lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) batteries, renowned for their high theoretical energy density, have garnered significant interest as prime candidates for future electric device development. However, their actual capacity is often unsatisfactory due to the passivation of active sites by solid-phase discharge products. Optimizing the growth and storage of these products is a crucial step in advancing Li-O2 batteries. Here, a fluorine-doped bimetallic cobalt-nickel oxide (CoNiO2- xFx/CC) with an interlaced catalytic surface (ICS) and a corncob-like structure is proposed as an oxygen electrode. Unlike conventional oxide electrodes with a "single adsorption catalytic mechanism," the ICS of CoNiO2- xFx/CC offers a "competitive adsorption catalytic mechanism," where oxygen sites facilitate oxygen conversion while fluorine sites contribute to the growth of Li2O2. This results in a change in Li2O2 morphology from a surface film to toroidal particles, effectively preventing the burial of active sites. Additionally, the unique open architecture aids in the capture and release of oxygen and the formation of well-contacted Li2O2/electrode interfaces, which benefits the complete decomposition of Li2O2 products. Consequently, the Li-O2 battery with a CoNiO2- xFx/CC cathode demonstrates a high specific capacity of up to 30923 mAh g-1 and a lifespan exceeding 580 cycles, surpassing most reported metal oxide-based cathodes.

A Hybrid-Salt Strategy for Modulating the Li+ Solvation Sheathes and Constructing Robust SEI in Non-Flammable Electrolyte Lithium Metal Batteries.

The electrode interface determines the performance of an electrochemical energy storage system. Using traditional electrolyte organic additives and high-concentration electrolyte emerging recently are two generally strategies for improving the electrode interface. Here, a hybrid-salt electrolyte strategy is proposed for constructing the stable electrode interface. Through the solubilization effect of phosphate ester on LiNO3, a hybrid-salts-based non-flammable phosphate ester electrolyte system (HSPE) with LiPF6 and LiNO3 as Li salts has been developed. By the strong interaction between NO3 - and Li+, the Li+ solvation sheath and solvent behaviors have been modulated, thus the undesirable effects of phosphate ester are eliminated and a robust SEI is formed. Experimental results and theoretical calculations illustrate that NO3 - as a kind of strongly coordinating anion can reduce the number of TEP molecules and lower the reduction reactivity of TEP. The reconfigured Li+ solvation structure allows the formation of an inorganic-rich SEI on the electrode surface. As a result, in the designed HSPE, the average coulombic efficiency of lithium plating/stripping is increased to 99.12 %. This work explored a new approach to construct the electrode interface and addressing the poor interface performance issue of phosphate esters.

New-Style Logic Operation and Neuromorphic Computing Enabled by Optoelectronic Artificial Synapses in an MXene/Y:HfO2 Ferroelectric Memristor.

Today's computing systems, to meet the enormous demands of information processing, have driven the development of brain-inspired neuromorphic systems. However, there are relatively few optoelectronic devices in most brain-inspired neuromorphic systems that can simultaneously regulate the conductivity through both optical and electrical signals. In this work, the Au/MXene/Y:HfO2/FTO ferroelectric memristor as an optoelectronic artificial synaptic device exhibited both digital and analog resistance switching (RS) behaviors under different voltages with a good switching ratio (>103). Under optoelectronic conditions, optimal weight update parameters and an enhanced algorithm achieved 97.1% recognition accuracy in convolutional neural networks. A new logic gate circuit specifically designed for optoelectronic inputs was established. Furthermore, the device integrates the impact of relative humidity to develop an innovative three-person voting mechanism with a veto power. These results provide a feasible approach for integrating optoelectronic artificial synapses with logic-based computing devices.

Protective effect of Cistanche deserticola on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

Objective: Gentamicin (GM) is a commonly used aminoglycoside antibiotic, however, renal toxicity has limited its usage. The present study was designed to evaluate the ameliorative effect of Cistanche deserticola on GM-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Methods: The nephrotoxicity in rats was induced by intraperitoneal administration of GM (100 mg/kg) for 10 consecutive days. Glomerular filtration rate, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and kidney histopathology were detected to assess the GM-induced nephrotoxicity. The oxidative stress (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione and malondialdehyde) was assessed. The inflammatory response (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, myeloperoxidase and nuclear factor-kappa B) and apoptotic marker (Bax and Bcl-2) were also evaluated. Results: The results showed that water and 75% ethanol extracts of C. deserticola (named CDW and CDE, respectively) (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) in combination with GM could recover the reduction of glomerular filtration rate and enhance the renal endogenous antioxidant capability induced by GM. The increase in the expression of renal inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6), nuclear protein of nuclear factor-kappa B (p65) and the activity of myeloperoxidase induced by GM was significantly decreased upon CDW or CDE treatment. In addition, CDW or CDE treatment could decrease the Bax protein expression and increase the Bcl-2 protein expression in GM-induced nephrotoxicity in rats significantly. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that C. deserticola treatment could attenuate kidney dysfunction and structural damage in rats induced by GM through the reduction of inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis.

A Novel Metal-Organic-Framework-Based Composite Solid Electrolyte for Lithium Metal Batteries.

Solid-state lithium metal batteries are hindered from practical applications by insufficient room-temperature ionic conductivity and poor electrode/electrolyte interfaces. Herein, we designed and synthesized a high ionic conductivity metal-organic-framework-based composite solid electrolyte (MCSE) with the synergy of high DN value ligands from Uio66-NH2 and succinonitrile (SN). XPS and FTIR reveal that the amino group (-NH2) of Uio66-NH2 and the cyano group (-C≡N) of SN have a stronger solvated coordination with Li+, which can promote the dissociation of crystalline LiTFSI, achieving an ionic conductivity of 9.23 × 10-5 S cm-1 at RT. Afterward, a flexible polymer electrolyte membrane (FPEM) with admirable ionic conductivity (1.56 × 10-4 S cm-1 at RT) and excellent electrode/electrolyte interfaces (86.2 Ω for the Li|20% FPEM|Li cell and 303.1 Ω for the LiFePO4|20% FPEM|Li cell) was successfully obtained after compounding the MCSE with polyethylene oxide (PEO). Moreover, a stable solid electrolyte layer (SEI) was formed in situ on the surface of the lithium metal, which enables the Li|20% FPEM|Li cell to exhibit remarkable cycling stability (1000 h at a current density of 0.05 mA cm-2). At the same time, the assembled LiFePO4|20% FPEM|Li cell offers a discharge-specific capacity of 155 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C and a columbic efficiency of 99.5% after 200 cycles. This flexible polymer electrolyte provides a possibility for operating long lifespan solid-state electrochemical energy storage systems at RT.

An intrinsic polymer electrolyte via in situ cross-linked for solid lithium-based batteries with high performance.

Since the introduction of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based polymer electrolytes more than 50 years, few other real polymer electrolytes with commercial application have emerged. Due to the low ion conductivity at room temperature, the PEO-based electrolytes cannot meet the application requirements. Most of the polymer electrolytes reported in recent years are in fact colloidal/composite electrolytes with plasticizers and fillers, not genuine electrolytes. Herein, we designed and synthesized a cross-linked polymer with a three-dimensional (3D) mesh structure which can dissolve the Li bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) salt better than PEO due to its unique 3D structure and rich oxygen-containing chain segments, thus forming an intrinsic polymer electrolyte (IPE) with ionic conductivity of 0.49 mS cm-1 at room temperature. And it can hinder the migration of large anions (e.g. TFSI-) in the electrolyte and increase the energy barrier to their migration, achieving Li+ migration numbers (tLi+) of up to 0.85. At the same time, IPE has good compatibility with lithium metal cathode and LiFePO4 (LFP) cathode, with stable cycles of more than 2,000 and 700 h in Li//Li symmetric batteries at 0.2 and 0.5 mAh cm-2 current densities, respectively. In addition, the Li/IPE/LFP batteries show the capacity retention >90% after 300 cycles at 0.5 C current density. This polymer electrolyte will be a pragmatic way to achieve commercializing all-solid-state, lithium-based batteries.

Regulating SEI Components of Sodium Anode via Capturing Organic-Molecule Intermediates in Ester-Based Electrolyte.

Highly reversible sodium metal anodes are still regarded as a stubborn hurdle in ester-based electrolytes due to the issue of uncontrollable dendrites and incredibly unstable interphase. Evidently, a strong protective film on sodium is decisive, while the quality of the protective film is mainly determined by its components. However, it is challenging to actively adjust the expected components. This work can regulate the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) components by introducing a functional electrolyte additive (2-chloro-1,3-dimethylimidazoline hexafluorophosphate (CDIH, namely CDI+ +PF6 - )) into FEC/PC ester-based electrolyte. Specifically, the chloride element in the CDI+ can easily react to form a NaF/NaCl-rich SEI together with the decomposition products of FEC; then the CDI+ without chlorine as a gripper to capture the organic-molecule intermediates generated during FEC decomposition to greatly reduce the content of unstable organic components in SEI, which can be confirmed by molecular dynamic simulation and experiment. Eventually, a highly reversible Na deposition behavior can be delivered. As expected, under the action of CDIH additives, the Na||Na symmetrical cell performs an excellent long-term cycling (>800 h, 0.5 mA cm-2 -0.5 mAh cm-2 ) and rate performance (0.5-4 mA cm-2 ). Furthermore, the Na||PB full cell exhibits the outstanding electrochemical performance with small polarization.

Overlooked Spherical Nanoparticles Exist in Plant Extracts: From Mechanism to Therapeutic Applications.

To date, plant medicine research has focused mainly on the chemical compositions of plant extracts and their medicinal effects. However, the therapeutic or toxic effects of nanoparticles in plant extracts remain unclear. In this study, large numbers of spherical nanoparticles were discovered in some plant extracts. Nanoparticles in Turkish galls extracts were used as an example to examine their pH responsiveness, free radical scavenging, and antibacterial capabilities. By utilizing the underlying formation mechanism of these nanoparticles, a general platform to produce spherical nanoparticles via direct self-assembly of Turkish gall extracts and various functional proteins was developed. The results showed that the nanoparticles retained both the antibacterial ability and intracellular carrier ability of the original protein or catechol. This work introduces a new member of the plant-derived edible nanoparticle (PDEN) family, establishes a simple and versatile platform for mass production nanoparticles, and provides new insight into the formation mechanism of nanoparticles during plant extraction.

Adhesive, multifunctional, and wearable electronics based on MXene-coated textile for personal heating systems, electromagnetic interference shielding, and pressure sensing.

Adhesion between flexible devices and skin surface facilitates portability of devices and reliable signal acquisition from human body, which is essential for medical therapy devices or monitoring systems. Here, we utilize a simple, cost-effective, and scalable layer-by-layer dip-coating method to fabricate a skin-adhesive multifunctional textile-based device, consisting of three parts: low-cost and easily available airlaid paper (AP) substrate, conductive MXene sensitive layer, and adhesive polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The adhesive layer of lightly cross-linked PDMS enables the device to form conformal contact with skin even during human joint bending. The smart textile device exhibits excellent electro-thermal and photo-thermal conversion performance with good cycling stability and tunability. Furthermore, the textile electronics show good electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding properties due to the good electrical conductivity, as well as sensitive and stable pressure sensing properties for human motion detection. Consequently, this efficient strategy provides a possible way to design multifunctional and wearable electronic textiles for medical applications.

Mussel-Inspired Caries Management Strategy: Constructing a Tribioactive Tooth Surface with Remineralization, Antibiofilm, and Anti-inflammation Activity.

Dental caries is a common chronic oral disease in humans resulting from tooth demineralization caused by acid production of bacterial plaque, which leads to the destruction of enamel and dentin and oral inflammation. However, it is still a challenge that the function of natural active ingredients in currently available oral care products is not comprehensive, especially the lack of remineralization. Here, inspired by the strong biological adhesion ability of mussels and ancient oral disease plant therapy, a multifunctional strategy is proposed to construct a bioactive tooth surface to treat dental caries. It has been demonstrated that the Turkish gall extract (TGE) can inhibit adhesion of cariogenic bacteria Streptococcus mutans and Actinomyces viscosus and destroy biofilms on the tooth surface. Meanwhile, TGE can reduce the expression of inflammatory factors. Notably, the TGE coating can induce the growth of hydroxyapatite (HAP) crystals in vivo and in vitro, recovering the enamel mechanical properties under normal oral conditions. MD simulations interpreted the adsorption mechanism by which the hydroxyl groups in TGE bind to phosphate group (PO43-) on the tooth surface, attracting calcium ions (Ca2+) as nucleation sites for remineralization. This work underlines the importance of TGE coating in remineralization, antibiofilm, and anti-inflammation activity as a promising strategy for dental caries.

Highly Sensitive Ratiometric Fluorescent Flexible Sensor Based on the RhB@ZIF-8@PVDF Mixed-Matrix Membrane for Broad-Spectrum Antibiotic Detection.

Antibiotics play an essential role in the treatment of various diseases. However, the overuse of antibiotics has led to the pollution of water bodies and food safety, affecting human health. Herein, we report a dual-emission MOF-based flexible sensor for the detection of antibiotics in water, which was prepared by first encapsulating rhodamine B (RhB) by a zeolite imidazolium ester skeleton (ZIF-8) and then blending it with polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF). The luminescent properties, structural tunability, and flexible porosity of the MOF-based composites were combined with the processability and flexibility of polymers to prepare luminescent membranes. The sensor is capable of dual-emission ratiometric fluorescence sensing of nitrofurantoin (NFT) and oxytetracycline (OTC), exhibiting sensitive detection of fluorescence burst and fluorescence enhancement, respectively, with detection limits of 0.012 µM and 8.9 nM. With the advantages of visual detection, high sensitivity, short detection time, and simplicity, the highly sensitive ratiometric fluorescent flexible sensor has great potential for detecting antibiotics in an aqueous environment. It will further stimulate interest in luminescent MOF-based mixed matrix membranes and their sensing applications.

Intra-regional classification of Codonopsis Radix produced in Gansu province (China) by multi-elemental analysis and chemometric tools.

Multi-elemental analysis is widely used to identify the geographical origins of plants. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of combining chemometrics with multi-element analysis for classification of Codonopsis Radix from different producing regions of Gansu province (China). A total of 117 Codonopsis Radix samples from 7 counties of Gansu province were collected. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for the determination of 28 elements (39 K, 24 Mg, 44Ca, 27Al, 137Ba, 57Fe, 23Na, 88Sr, 55Mn, 66Zn, 65Cu, 85Rb, 61Ni, 53Cr, 51 V, 7Li, 208Pb, 59Co, 75As, 133Cs, 71 Ga, 77Se, 205Tl, 114Cd, 238U, 107Ag, 4Be and 202Hg). Among macro elements, 39 K showed the highest level, whereas 23Na was found to have the lowest content value. Micro elements showed the concentrations order of: 88Sr > 55Mn > 66Zn > 85Rb > 65Cu. Among trace elements, 53Cr and 61Ni showed higher content and 4Be was not detected in all samples. Intra-regions differentiation was performed by principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA) and supervised learning algorithms such as linear discriminant analysis (LDA), k-nearest neighbors (k-NN), support vector machines (SVM), and random forests (RF). Among them, the RF model performed the best with an accuracy rate of 78.79%. Multi-elemental analysis combined with RF was a reliable method to identify the origins of Codonopsis Radix in Gansu province.

An Encapsulation-Based Sodium Storage via Zn-Single-Atom Implanted Carbon Nanotubes.

The properties of high theoretical capacity, low cost, and large potential of metallic sodium (Na) has strongly promoted the development of rechargeable sodium-based batteries. However, the issues of infinite volume variation, unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), and dendritic sodium causes a rapid decline in performance and notorious safety hazards. Herein, a highly reversible encapsulation-based sodium storage by designing a functional hollow carbon nanotube with Zn single atom sites embedded in the carbon shell (ZnSA -HCNT) is achieved. The appropriate tube space can encapsulate bulk sodium inside; the inner enriched ZnSA sites provide abundant sodiophilic sites, which can evidently reduce the nucleation barrier of Na deposition. Moreover, the carbon shell derived from ZIF-8 provides geometric constraints and excellent ion/electron transport channels for the rapid transfer of Na+ due to its pore-rich shell, which can be revealed by in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As expected, Na@ZnSA -HCNT anodes present steady long-term performance in symmetrical battery (>900 h at 10 mA cm-2 ). Moreover, superior electrochemical performance of Na@ZnSA -HCNT||PB full cells can be delivered. This work develops a new strategy based on carbon nanotube encapsulation of metallic sodium, which improves the safety and cycling performance of sodium metal anode.

Pd-Sb Rhombohedra with an Unconventional Rhombohedral Phase as a Trifunctional Electrocatalyst.

Crystal phase engineering is an important strategy for designing noble-metal-based catalysts with optimized activity and stability. From the thermodynamic point of view, it remains a great challenge to synthesize unconventional phases of noble metals. Here, a new class of Pd-based nanostructure with unconventional rhombohedral Pd20 Sb7 phase is successfully synthesized. Benefiting from the high proportion of the unique exposed Pd20 Sb7 (003) surface, Pd20 Sb7 rhombohedra display much enhanced ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) and oxygen reduction reaction performance compared with commercial Pd/C. Moreover, Pd20 Sb7 rhombohedra are also demonstrated as an effective air cathode in non-aqueous Li-air batteries with an overpotential of only 0.24 V. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the unique exposed facets of Pd20 Sb7 rhombohedra can not only reduce the excessive adsorption of CH3 CO* to CH3 COOH on Pd for promoting EOR process, but also weaken CO binding and CO poisoning. This work provides a new class of unconventional intermetallic nanomaterials with enhanced electrocatalytic activity.