Structure-Activity Relationships in Supramolecular Hosts Targeting Bacterial Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) Lipids.

The World Health Organization has described the antimicrobial resistance crisis as one of the top ten global public health threats. New antimicrobial agents that can fight infections caused by antimicrobial resistant pathogens are therefore needed. A potential strategy is the development of small molecules that can selectively interact with bacterial membranes (or membranes of other microbial pathogens), and thereby rapidly kill the bacteria. Here, we report the structure-activity relationship within a group of 22 compounds that were designed to bind the bacterial lipid phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Liposome-based studies reveal that the lipophilicity of the compounds has the strongest effect on both the affinity and selectivity for PE. The best results were obtained for compounds with logP ≈ 3.75, which showed a 5x to 7x selectivity for bacterial PE lipids over human PC (phosphatidylcholine) lipids. Furthermore, these compounds also showed potent antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive bacterium B. cereus, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) below 10 µM, a concentration where they showed minimal hemolytic activity against human red blood cells. These results not only show the possibility of PE-binding small molecules to function as antibiotics, but also provide guidelines for the development of compounds targeting other types of biologically relevant membrane lipids.

Modular Customized Biomimetic Nanofluidic Diode for Tunable Asymmetric Ion Transport.

Artificial ion diodes, inspired by biological ion channels, have made significant contributions to the fields of physics, chemistry, and biology. However, constructing asymmetric sub-nanofluidic membranes that simultaneously meet the requirements of easy fabrication, high ion transport efficiency, and tunable ion transport remains a challenge. Here, a direct and flexible in situ staged host-guest self-assembly strategy is employed to fabricate ion diode membranes capable of achieving zonal regulation. Coupling the interfacial polymerization process with a host-guest assembly strategy, it is possible to easily manipulate the type, order, thickness, and charge density of each module by introducing two oppositely charged modules in stages. This method enables the tuning of ion transport behavior over a wide range salinity, as well as responsive to varying pH levels. To verify the potential of controllable diode membranes for application, two ion diode membranes with different ion selectivity and high charge density are coupled in a reverse electrodialysis device. This resulted in an output power density of 63.7 W m-2 at 50-fold NaCl concentration gradient, which is 12 times higher than commercial standards. This approach shows potential for expanding the variety of materials that are appropriate for microelectronic power generation devices, desalination, and biosensing.

Massively Enhanced Charge Selectivity, Ion Transport, and Osmotic Energy Conversion by Antiswelling Nanoconfined Hydrogels.

Developing a nanofluidic membrane with simultaneously enhanced ion selectivity and permeability for high-performance osmotic energy conversion has largely been unexplored. Here, we tackle this issue by the confinement of highly space-charged hydrogels within an orderedly aligned nanochannel array membrane. The nanoconfinement effect endows the hydrogel-based membrane with excellent antiswelling property. Furthermore, experimental and simulation results demonstrate that such a nanoconfined hydrogel membrane exhibits massively enhanced cation selectivity and ion transport properties. Consequently, an amazingly high power density up to ∼52.1 W/m2 with an unprecedented energy conversion efficiency of 37.5% can be reached by mixing simulated salt-lake water (5 M NaCl) and river water (0.01 M NaCl). Both efficiency indexes surpass those of most of the state-of-the-art nanofluidic membranes. This work offers insights into the design of highly ion-selective membranes to achieve ultrafast ion transport and high-performance osmotic energy harvesting.

Site-Specific Location of Black Phosphorus Quantum Dot Cluster-Based Nanocomplexes for Synergistic Ion Channel Therapy and Hypoxic Microenvironment Activated Chemotherapy.

The spatiotemporal regulation of ion transport in living cell membrane channels has immense potential for providing novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of currently intractable diseases. So far, most strategies suffer from uncontrolled ion transport and limited tumor therapy effects. On the premise of low toxicity to healthy tissues, enhancing the degree of ion overloading and the effect of tumor treatment still remains a challenging concern. Herein, an innovative strategy for synergistic ion channel therapy and hypoxic microenvironment activated chemotherapy is proposed. Biocompatible AQ4N/black phosphorus quantum dot clusters@liposomes (AQ4N/BPCs@Lip) nanocomplexes are site-specifically immobilized on the living cell membrane by a metabolic labeling strategy, eliminating the need for modifying or genetically encoding channel structures. Ascribing to the localized temperature increase of BPCs under NIR light irradiation, Ca2+ overinflux can be remotely controlled and the overloading degree was increased; moreover, the local released AQ4N can only be activated in the tumor cell, while it has no toxicity to normal cells. Compared with single intracellular Ca2+ overloading, the tumor cell viabilities decrease 2-fold with synergetic Ca2+ overloading-induced ion channel therapy and hypoxic microenvironment activated chemotherapeutics. Our study demonstrates the example of a remote-controlled ion influx and drug delivery system for tumor therapy.

Dual Ionic Pathways in Semi-Solid Electrolyte based on Binary Metal-Organic Frameworks Enable Stable Operation of Li-Metal Batteries at Extremely High Temperatures.

The rapid development of the electronics market necessitates energy storage devices characterized by high energy density and capacity, alongside the ability to maintain stable and safe operation under harsh conditions, particularly elevated temperatures. In this study, a semi-solid-state electrolyte (SSSE) for Li-metal batteries (LMB) is synthesized by integrating metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as host materials featuring a hierarchical pore structure. A trace amount of liquid electrolyte (LE) is entrapped within these pores through electrochemical activation. These findings demonstrate that this structure exhibits outstanding properties, including remarkably high thermal stability, an extended electrochemical window (5.25 V vs Li/Li+), and robust lithium-ion conductivity (2.04 × 10-4 S cm-1), owing to the synergistic effect of the hierarchical MOF pores facilitating the storage and transport of Li ions. The Li//LiFePO4 cell incorporating prepared SSSE shows excellent capacity retention, retaining 97% (162.8 mAh g-1) of their initial capacity after 100 cycles at 1 C rate at an extremely high temperature of 95 °C. It is believed that this study not only advances the understanding of ion transport in MOF-based SSSE but also significantly contributes to the development of LMB capable of stable and safe operation even under extremely high temperatures.

Small-Molecule Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conductors for Efficient N-Type Electrochemical Transistors: Structure-Function Correlations.

The fundamental challenge in electron-transporting organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors (OMIECs) is simultaneous optimization of electron and ion transport. Beginning from Y6-type/U-shaped non-fullerene solar cell acceptors, we systematically synthesize and characterize molecular structures that address the aforementioned challenge, progressively introducing increasing numbers of oligoethyleneglycol (OEG; g) sidechains from 1g to 3g, affording OMIECs 1gY, 2gY, and 3gY, respectively. The crystal structure of 1gY preserves key structural features of the Yn series: a U-shaped/planar core, close π-π molecular stacking, and interlocked acceptor groups. Versus inactive Y6 and Y11, all of the new glycolated compounds exhibit mixed ion-electron transport in both conventional organic electrochemical transistor (cOECT) and vertical OECT (vOECT) architectures. Notably, 3gY with the highest OEG density achieves a high normalized transconductance of 25.29 S cm-1, an on/off current ratio of ~106, and a turn-on/off response time of 94.7/5.7 ms in vOECTs. Systematic optoelectronic, electrochemical, architectural, and crystallographic analysis explains the superior 3gY-based OECT performance in terms of denser ngY OEG content, increased crystallite dimensions with decreased long-range crystalline order, and enhanced film hydrophilicity which facilitates ion transport and efficient redox processes. Finally, we demonstrate an efficient small-molecule-based complementary inverter using 3gY vOECTs, showcasing the bioelectronic applicability of these new small-molecule OMIECs.

Metal-Phosphonate-Organic Network as Ion Enrichment Layer for Sustainable Zinc Metal Electrode with High Rate Capability.

Zinc (Zn) metal batteries could be the technology of choice for sustainable battery chemistries owing to its better safety and cost advantage. However, their cycle life and Coulombic efficiency (CE) are strongly limited by the dendritic growth and side reactions of Zn anodes. Herein, we proposed an in situ construction of a metal-phosphonate-organic network (MPON) with three-dimensional interconnected networks on Zn metal, which can act as an ion enrichment layer for Zn anodes in Zn-metal batteries. This MPON with abundant porous structure and phosphate sites possesses ion enriching properties and high Zn2+ transference number (0.83), which is beneficial for enhancing Zn2+ migration and self-concentrating kinetics. Meanwhile, MPON offers hydrophobicity to effectively inhibit the water-induced Zn anode corrosion. As a result, the Zn electrode exhibits superior Zn/Zn2+ reversibility of over 4 months at 3 mA cm-2 and a high CE of 99.6%. Moreover, the Zn/NaV3O8 ·1.5H2O and Zn/MnO2 full cells using ultrathin Zn anodes (10 µm) exhibit high-capacity retention of 81% and 78% after 1400 and 1000 cycles, respectively. This work provides a unique promise to design high-performance anode for practical Zn-metal-based batteries.

Effects of medium pH on the yeast plasma membrane potential.

The effects of different pH incubation values and K+ on yeast plasma membrane potential (PMP) were studied both by the fluorescence changes and the accumulation of thioflavin T (ThT), a method that has been shown most adequate for both procedures. By the changes in fluorescence of ThT, the qualitative observation of PMP at the 3 evaluated pHs indicated that cells at pH 4.0 maintain a PMP lower, but close to the observed at pH 6.0 and 7.0. By measuring the accumulation of ThT and applying the Nernst equation on the different concentrations in and out, the values of PMP could also be estimated at the different pHs, resulting in values in mV, in agreement with our observations by following the fluorescence. Yeast cells at their native niches, or during fermentations must cope with low pHs, so the importance to maintain a robust PMP to survive. The contribution of bicarbonate, derived from the fermentation to the establishment of the PMP is also described. The experiments showed once more the efficacy of the methods used with this dye.

Angstrom-Scale 2D Channels Designed For Osmotic Energy Harvesting.

Confronting the impending exhaustion of traditional energy, it is urgent to devise and deploy sustainable clean energy alternatives. Osmotic energy contained in the salinity gradient of the sea-river interface is an innovative, abundant, clean, and renewable osmotic energy that has garnered considerable attention in recent years. Inspired by the impressively intelligent ion channels in nature, the developed angstrom-scale 2D channels with simple fabrication process, outstanding design flexibility, and substantial charge density exhibit excellent energy conversion performance, opening up a new era for osmotic energy harvesting. However, this attractive research field remains fraught with numerous challenges, particularly due to the complexities associated with the regulation at angstrom scale. In this review, the latest advancements in the design of angstrom-scale 2D channels are primarily outlined for harvesting osmotic energy. Drawing upon the analytical framework of osmotic power generation mechanisms and the insights gleaned from the biomimetic intelligent devices, the design strategies are highlighted for high-performance angstrom channels in terms of structure, functionalization, and application, with a particular emphasis on ion selectivity and ion transport resistance. Finally, current challenges and future prospects are discussed to anticipate the emergence of more anomalous properties and disruptive technologies that can promote large-scale power generation.

Ionic Covalent Organic Framework Solid-State Electrolytes.

Rechargeable secondary batteries, widely used in modern technology, are essential for mobile and consumer electronic devices and energy storage applications. Lithium (Li)-ion batteries are currently the most popular choice due to their decent energy density. However, the increasing demand for higher energy density has led to the development of Li metal batteries (LMBs). Despite their potential, the commonly used liquid electrolyte-based LMBs present serious safety concerns, such as dendrite growth and the risk of fire and explosion. To address these issues, using solid-state electrolytes in batteries has emerged as a promising solution. In this Perspective, recent advancements are discussed in ionic covalent organic framework (ICOFs)-based solid-state electrolytes, identify current challenges in the field, and propose future research directions. Highly crystalline ion conductors with polymeric versatility show promise as the next-generation solid-state electrolytes. Specifically, the use of anionic or cationic COFs is examined for Li-based batteries, highlight the high interfacial resistance caused by the intrinsic brittleness of crystalline ICOFs as the main limitation, and presents innovative ideas for developing all- and quasi-solid-state batteries using ICOF-based solid-state electrolytes. With these considerations and further developments, the potential for ICOFs is optimistic about enabling the realization of high-energy-density all-solid-state LMBs.

In Situ Visualization of Ion Transport Processes in Aqueous Batteries.

Aqueous rechargeable batteries are regarded as one of the most reliable solutions for electrochemical energy storage, and ion (e.g., H+ or OH-) transport is essential for their electrochemical performance. However, modeling and numerical simulations often fall short of depicting the actual ion transport characteristics due to deviations in model assumptions from reality. Experimental methods, including laser interferometry, Raman, and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, are limited by the complexity of the system and the restricted detection of ions, making it difficult to detect specific ions such as H+ and OH-. Herein, in situ visualization of ion transport is achieved by innovatively introducing laser scanning confocal microscopy. Taking neutral Zn-air batteries as an example and using a pH-sensitive probe, real-time dynamic pH changes associated with ion transport processes are observed during battery operation. The results show that after immersion in the zinc sulfate electrolyte, the pH near the Zn electrode changes significantly and pulsation occurs, which demonstrates the intense self-corrosion hydrogen evolution reaction and the periodic change in the reaction intensity. In contrast, the change in the pH of the galvanized electrode plate is weak, proving its significant corrosion inhibition effect. For the air electrode, the heterogeneity of ion transport during the discharging and charging process is presented. With an increase of the current density, the ion transport characteristics gradually evolve from diffusion dominance to convection-diffusion codominance, revealing the importance of convection in the ion transport process inside batteries. This method opens up a new approach of studying ion transport inside batteries, guiding the design for performance enhancement.

Light-Powered Propeller-like Transporter for Boosted Transmembrane Ion Transport.

Membrane-active molecular machines represent a recently emerging, yet important line of expansion in the field of artificial transmembrane transporters. Their hitherto demonstrated limited types (molecular swing, ion fishers, shuttlers, rotors, etc.) certainly call for new inspiring developments. Here, we report a very first motorized ion-transporting carrier-type transporter, i.e., a modularly tunable, light-powered propeller-like transporter derived from Feringa's molecular motor for consistently boosting transmembrane ion transport under continuous UV light irradiation. Based on the EC50 values, the molecular propeller-mediated ion transport activities under UV light irradiation for 300 s are 2.31, 1.74, 2.29, 2.80, and 2.92 times those values obtained without irradiation for Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+ ions, respectively, with EC50 value as low as 0.71 mol % for K+ ion under light irradiation.

Bound Water Enhances the Ion Selectivity of Highly Charged Polymer Membranes.

Electrochemical technologies for water treatment, resource recovery, energy generation, and energy storage rely on charged polymer membranes to selectively transport ions. With the rise of applications involving hypersaline brines, such as management of desalination brine or the recovery of ions from brines, there is an urgent need for membranes that can sustain high conductivity and selectivity under such challenging conditions. Current membranes are constrained by an inherent trade-off between conductivity and selectivity, alongside concerns regarding their high costs. Moreover, a gap in the fundamental understanding of ion transport within charged membranes at high salinities prevents the development of membranes that could meet these stringent requirements efficiently. Here, we present the synthesis of scalable, highly charged membranes that demonstrate high conductivity and selectivity while contacting 1 and 5 molal NaCl solutions. A detailed analysis of the membrane transport properties reveals that the high proportion of bound water in the membranes, enabled by the high charge content and hydrophilic structure of the polymers, enhances both the ion partitioning and diffusion selectivities of the membranes. These structure/property relationships derived from this study offer valuable guidance for designing next-generation membranes that simultaneously achieve exceptional conductivity and selectivity in high-salinity conditions.

Ion Transport at Polymer-Argyrodite Interfaces.

Solid-state electrolytes, particularly polymer/ceramic composite electrolytes, are emerging as promising candidates for lithium-ion batteries due to their high ionic conductivity and mechanical flexibility. The interfaces that arise between the inorganic and organic materials in these composites play a crucial role in ion transport mechanisms. While lithium ions are proposed to diffuse across or parallel to the interface, few studies have directly examined the quantitative impact of these pathways on ion transport and little is known about how they affect the overall conductivity. Here, we present an atomistic study of lithium-ion (Li+) transport across well-defined polymer-argyrodite interfaces. We present a force field for polymer-argyrodite interfacial systems, and we carry out molecular dynamics and enhanced sampling simulations of several composite systems, including poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/Li6PS5Cl, hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR)/Li6PS5Cl, and poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP)/Li6PS5Cl. For the materials considered here, Li-ion exhibits a preference for the ceramic material, as revealed by free energy differences for Li-ion between the inorganic and the organic polymer phase in excess of 13 kBT. The relative free energy profiles of Li-ion for different polymeric materials exhibit similar shapes, but their magnitude depends on the strength of interaction between the polymers and Li-ion: the greater the interaction between the polymer and Li-ions, the smaller the free energy difference between the inorganic and organic materials. The influence of the interface is felt over a range of approximately 1.5 nm, after which the behavior of Li-ion in the polymer is comparable to that in the bulk. Near the interface, Li-ion transport primarily occurs parallel to the interfacial plane, and ion mobility is considerably slower near the interface itself, consistent with the reduced segmental mobility of the polymer in the vicinity of the ceramic material. These findings provide insights into ionic complexation and transport mechanisms in composite systems, and will help improve design of improved solid electrolyte systems.

Does the soil microbial community facilitate Mimosa pudica's biological performance under abiotic stress? Growth, tolerance mechanisms, and seismonastic behaviour.

Climate change effects such as soil salinisation or drought dramatically affect native and potentially invasive plant species. Mimosa pudica, originally native to South America but spread to Africa and Asia, exhibits great adaptability to disturbed environments in tropical and subtropical areas. It has become a model organism for studying thigmomorphogenetic behaviour due to its ability to display fast responses to mechanical stimuli. We investigated the effects of salt and water stresses on M. pudica in interaction with a Mediterranean coastal dune microbial community by growing plants on soils collected from dunes near Valencia, Spain. Plant biomass, potential mechanisms of stress tolerance, seismonastic response, and phenology were assessed. Abiotic stress, particularly salt stress, adversely affects plant performance and seismonasty. Mimosa pudica, however, displayed the blockage of Na+ transport at the root level as a primary defence mechanism against salinity. When exposed to natural soils, plants produced more leaves and flowers, with lower flower abortion rates than plants in a sterile substrate, and the stimulated plants displayed faster responses across time before reaching a plateau, while the recovery increased with time. Our results highlight the need for integrative and multidisciplinary approaches to understand plant-abiotic stress-microorganisms interactions. In M. pudica, soil microorganisms had weak or no effects on biomass or biochemical stress markers; however, their presence strongly improved reproductive traits and seismonasty, thus facilitating potential plant establishment in a new environment.

Ion transport peptide and ion transport peptide-like regulate ecdysis behavior and water transport during ecdysis in Gryllus bimaculatus.

Ion transport peptide (ITP) and ITP-like (ITPLs) are pleiotropic bioactive peptides in insects. Although the contribution of these peptides to ecdysis has been studied, the precise regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we characterized the functions of itp and itpl variants in the two-spotted cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and whole-mount in situ hybridization revealed that itp was expressed in the brain and terminal abdominal ganglion, whereas itpl variants were expressed in all ganglia of the central nervous system. Simultaneous knockdown of itp and itpls disrupted ecdysis behavior and water transport from the gut into the hemolymph during molting. Nevertheless, knockdown of itpls without influencing itp expression did not significantly affect ecdysis behavior but caused a reduction in hemolymph mass. Although water transport into the hemolymph is considered necessary for the swelling required to split the old cuticle layers during molting, a rescue experiment by injection of water or cricket Ringer's solution into the hemolymph of knockdown crickets did not recover the normal phenotype. Therefore, we propose that ITP/ITPL control ecdysis behavior probably not by regulating water transport from the gut into the hemolymph in crickets.

Intercepting Dendrite Growth With a Heterogeneous Solid Electrolyte for Long-Life All-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

The application of lithium metal anode in all-solid-state batteries has the potential to achieve both high energy density and safety performance. However, the presence of serious dendrite issues hinders this potential. Here, the ion transport pathways and orientation of dendrite growth are regulated by utilizing the differences of ionic conductivity in heterogeneous electrolytes. The in situ formed Li-Ge alloy phases from the spontaneous reaction between Li10GeP2S12 and the attracted dendrites greatly enhance the ability to resist dendrite growth. As an outcome, the heterogeneous electrolyte achieves a high critical current density of 2.1 mA cm-2 and long-term stable symmetrical battery operation (0.3 mA cm-2 for 17 000 h and 1.0 mA cm-2 for 2000 h). Besides, due to the superior interfacial stability and low interface impedance between the heterogeneous electrolyte and lithium anode, the Li||LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 full battery exhibits great cycling stability (80.5% after 500 cycles at 1.0 mA cm-2) and rate performance (125.4 mAh g at 2.0 mA cm-2). This work provides a unique strategy of interface regulation via heterogeneous electrolytes design, offering insights into the development of state-of the-art all-solid-state batteries.

SGLT2 inhibitors: how do they affect the cardiac cells.

The first sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2I), canagliflozin, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in 2013. Since then, other members of this drug class (such as dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, and ertugliflozin) have become widely used. Unlike classical antidiabetic agents, these drugs do not interfere with insulin secretion or action, but instead promote renal glucose excretion. Since their approval, many preclinical and clinical studies have been conducted to investigate the diverse effects of SGLT2Is. While originally introduced as antidiabetic agents, the SGLT2Is are now recognized as pillars in the treatment of heart failure and chronic kidney disease, in patients with or without diabetes. The beneficial cardiac effects of this class have been attributed to several mechanisms. Among these, SGLT2Is inhibit fibrosis, hypertrophy, apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress. They regulate mitochondrial function and ion transport, and stimulate autophagy through several underlying mechanisms. This review details the potential effects of SGLT2Is on cardiac cells.

Light-Driven Ionic and Molecular Transport through Atomically Thin Single Nanopores in MoS2/WS2 Heterobilayers.

Nanofluidic ionic and molecular transport through atomically thin nanopore membranes attracts broad research interest from both scientific and industrial communities for environmental, healthcare, and energy-related technologies. To mimic the biological ion pumping functions, recently, light-induced and quantum effect-facilitated charge separation in heterogeneous 2D-material assemblies is proposed as the fourth type of driving force to achieve active and noninvasive transport of ionic species through synthetic membrane materials. However, to date, engineering versatile van der Waals heterostructures into 2D nanopore membranes remains largely unexplored. Herein, we fabricate single nanopores in heterobilayer transition metal dichalcogenide membranes with helium ion beam irradiation and demonstrate the light-driven ionic transport and molecular translocation phenomena through the atomically thin nanopores. Experimental and simulation results further elucidate the driving mechanism as the photoinduced near-pore electric potential difference due to type II band alignment of the semiconducting WS2 and MoS2 monolayers. The strength of the photoinduced localized electric field near the pore region can be approximately 1.5 times stronger than that of its counterpart under the conventional voltage-driven mode. Consequently, the light-driven mode offers better spatial resolution for single-molecule detection. Light-driven ionic and molecular transport through nanopores in van der Waals heterojunction membranes anticipates transformative working principles for next-generation biomolecular sequencing and gives rise to fascinating opportunities for light-to-chemical energy harvesting nanosystems.

Designing Cooperative Ion Transport Pathway in Ultra-Thin Solid-State Electrolytes toward Practical Lithium Metal Batteries.

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are promising for high-energy-density solid-state Li metal batteries due to their decent flexibility, safety, and interfacial stability. However, their development was seriously hindered by the interfacial instability and limited conductivity, leading to inferior electrochemical performance.  Herein, we proposed to design ultra-thin solid-state electrolyte with long-range cooperative ion transport pathway to effectively increase the ionic conductivity and stability. The impregnation of PVDF-HFP inside pores of  fluorinated covalent organic framework (CF3-COF) can disrupt its symmetry, rendering rapid ion transportation and inhibited anion imigration. The functional groups of CF3-COF can interact with PVDF-HFP to form fast Li+ transport channels, which enables the uniform and confined Li+ conduction within the electrolyte. The introduction of CF3-COF also enhances the mechanical strength and flexibility of SPEs, as well as ensures homogeneous Li deposition and inhibited dendrite growth.  Hence, a remarkably high conductivity of 1.21×10-3 S cm-1 can be achieved. Finally, the ultra-thin SPEs with an extremely long cycle life exceed 9000 h can be obtained (the longest cycle life reported until now) while the NCM523/Li pouch cell demonstrates a high capacity of 760 mAh and 96% capacity retention after cycling, holding great promises to be utilized for practical solid-state Li metal batteries.