Highly Stable Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by Tuning the Molecular Polarity of Diluents in Localized High-Concentration Electrolytes.

Electrolyte plays a crucial role in ensuring stable operation of lithium metal batteries (LMBs). Localized high-concentration electrolytes (LHCEs) have the potential to form a robust solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) and mitigate Li dendrite growth, making them a highly promising electrolyte option. However, the principles governing the selection of diluents, a crucial component in LHCE, have not been clearly determined, hampering the advancement of such a type of electrolyte systems. Herein, the diluents from the perspective of molecular polarity are rationally designed and developed. A moderately fluorinated solvent, 1-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy)propane (TNE), is employed as a diluent to create a novel LHCE. The unique molecular structure of TNE enhances the intrinsic dipole moment, thereby altering solvent interactions and the coordination environment of Li-ions in LHCE. The achieved solvation structure not only enhances the bulk properties of LHCE, but also facilitates the formation of more stable anion-derived SEIs featured with a higher proportion of inorganic species. Consequently, the corresponding full cells of both Li||LiFePO4 and Li||LiNi0.8 Co0.1 Mn0.1 O2 cells utilizing Li thin-film anodes exhibit extended long-term stability with significantly improved average Coulombic efficiency. This work offers new insights into the functions of diluents in LHCEs and provides direction for further optimizing the LHCEs for LMBs.

Understanding the origin of the improved sodium ion storage performance of the transition metal oxide@carbon nanocomposite anodes.

Transition metal oxide (TMO) anodes show inferior sodium ion storage performance compared with that of lithium ion storage owing to the larger radium size and heavier elemental mass of Na+ than Li+. Effective strategies are highly desired to improve the Na+ storage performance of TMOs for applications. In this work, using ZnFe2O4@xC nanocomposites as model materials for investigation, we found that by manipulating the particle sizes of the inner TMOs core and the features of outer carbon coating, the Na+ storage performance can be significantly improved. The ZnFe2O4@1C with a diameter of the inner ZnFe2O4 core of around 200 nm coated by a thin carbon layer of around 3 nm shows a specific capacity of only 120 mA h g-1. The ZnFe2O4@6.5C with a diameter of the inner ZnFe2O4 core of around 110 nm embedding in a porous interconnected carbon matrix displays a significantly improved specific capacity of 420 mA h g-1 at the same specific current. Furthermore, the latter shows an excellent cycling stability of 1000 cycles with a capacity retention of 90% of the initial 220 mA h g-1 specific capacity at 1.0 A g-1. TEM, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and kinetic analysis show that the inner ZnFe2O4 core with reduced particle size and the outer thicker and interconnected carbon matrix synergistically improve the active reaction sites, integrity, electric conductivity, and pseudocapacitive-controlled contribution of ZnFe2O4@xC nanocomposites, thus leading to an overall enhanced Na+ storage performance. Our findings create a universal, facile, and effective method to enhance the Na+ storage performance of the TMO@C nanomaterials.

Laparoscopic Infrapyloric Area Lymph Node Dissection with No. 14v Enlargement for Advanced Lower Gastric Cancer in Middle Colic Vein Approach.

BACKGROUND: We developed a procedure for laparoscopic infrapyloric area lymph node (LN) dissection with No. 14v enlargement, which is complicated for patients with advanced lower gastric cancer (GC) (Xu et al., World J Gastroenterol 13:5133-5138,2007; Masuda et al., Dig Surg 25:351-358,2008; An et al., Br J Surg 98:667-672,2011]. METHODS: From April 2008 to December 2014, 1096 patients with GC underwent laparoscopy-assisted radical distal gastrectomy in our department. According to the Japanese GC treatment guidelines, D2 (+No. 14v) may be beneficial in tumors with apparent metastasis to the No. 6 nodes (Japanese Gastric Cancer Association, Gastric Cancer 14:113-123,2010). Thus, 151 advanced lower GC patients with apparent metastasis to the No. 6 nodes underwent additional No. 14v LN dissection. We dissected infrapyloric area LNs with No. 14v dissection from the left to the right side (i.e., middle colic vein approach). RESULTS: Mean operation time was 22.8 ± 10.0 min, mean blood loss was 17.1 ± 14.6 ml, and mean times to first flatus, fluid diet, and soft diet were 3.7 ± 1.2 days, 5.0 ± 1.7 days, and 8.4 ± 1.6 days, respectively. A mean of 33.7 ± 11.2 LNs were retrieved, including 3.9 ± 2.7 No. 6 LNs and 2.0 ± 1.6 No. 14v LNs. Of 151 patients, 26 had No. 14v metastasis (17.2%), and 43 (28.5%) were accompanied by an extensive infrapyloric area nodal involvement. The overall postoperative morbidity rate was 10.6% (16 of 151). At a median follow-up of 56 months (range 5-84 months), cumulative 3-year overall survival was 56.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Although it remains controversial whether prophylactic No. 14v dissection improves survival, laparoscopic infrapyloric area LN dissection using a middle colic vein approach may be safely achieved and is more convenient for advanced lower GC.

Laparoscopic Suprapancreatic Lymph Node Dissection for Advanced Gastric Cancer Using a Left-Sided Approach.

BACKGROUND: We developed a novel procedure for laparoscopic suprapancreatic lymph node (LN) dissection, which is compulsory and quite difficult for patients with advanced gastric cancer.1 (-) 3 METHODS: We dissected suprapancreatic LNs from the left to the right side. The No. 11p LNs were dissected first, followed by the No. 9, 7, and 8a LNs. Dissection of the No. 5 and 12a LNs was completed last. The above procedure was performed on 814 consecutive patients with stage cT2-3 disease. RESULTS: Mean operation time was 186.9 ± 56.4 min (range 80-480 min), mean blood loss was 76.6 ± 106.8 ml (range 3-500 ml), and mean times to first flatus, fluid diet, and soft diet were 3.7 ± 1.2 days (range 1-9 days), 5.2 ± 1.7 days (range 2-14 days), and 8.3 ± 2.2 days (range 5-20 days), respectively. A mean 34.5 ± 12.9 LNs (range 22-103) were retrieved, including a mean 12.4 ± 5.7 (range 0-35) suprapancreatic area LNs. Overall postoperative morbidity rate was 14.7 % (120/814), including three cases of pancreatic fistula. All of these postoperative complications were successfully treated by conservative methods. At a median follow-up of 27 months (range 1-63), cumulative 3-year overall survival was 59.2 %. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic suprapancreatic LN dissection using a left-sided approach could be safely achieved and is more convenient for advanced gastric cancer.

Laparoscopic spleen-preserving no. 10 lymph node dissection for advanced proximal gastric cancer using a left approach.

BACKGROUND: We developed a novel procedure for spleen-preserving No. 10 lymph node (LN) dissection, which is difficult and advocates for patients with advanced proximal gastric cancer, except those with direct tumor extension to the spleen or definite LN metastasis at the splenic hilum. METHODS: The surgeon reveals the splenic vessels (SVs), and the assistant pulls up the lymphatic fatty tissue on the surface of the lower lobar vessels of the spleen (LLVSs). The surgeon then exposes the left gastroepiploic vessels (LGEVs), completely separating the LLVSs from the LGEV roots. After tracking the SV termini, the No. 11d LNs are carefully dissected and the upper lobar vessels of the spleen are exposed from their roots to the upper pole of the spleen. During this process, 2-4 branches of the short gastric vessels are skeletonized and divided at their roots. The LNs behind the SVs in front of Gerota's fascia are then dissected. The above procedure was performed on 118 consecutive patients with stage cT2-3 disease. RESULTS: Mean operation time was 20.4 ± 6.0 min (range 13-41 min), mean blood loss was 13.6 ± 4.0 ml (range 10-40 ml), and mean times to first flatus, fluid diet, and soft diet were 3.3 ± 1.2 days (range 2-8 days), 4.8 ± 1.6 days (range 3-14 days), and 8.1 ± 4.1 days (range 6-20 days), respectively. A mean 44.6 ± 17.3 LNs (range 22-103) were retrieved, including a mean 3.0 ± 2.4 (range 0-11) splenic hilar area LNs. At a median follow-up of 9 months, no patients had died or experienced recurrent or metastatic disease. CONCLUSIONS: This procedure is feasible and simplifies complicated laparoscopic No. 10 LN dissection.