PPy-Coated Mo3S4/CoMo2S4 Nanotube-like Heterostructure for High-Performance Lithium Storage.

Heterostructured materials show great potential to enhance the specific capacity, rate performance and cycling lifespan of lithium-ion batteries owing to their unique interfaces, robust architectures, and synergistic effects. Herein, a polypyrrole (PPy)-coated nanotube-like Mo3S4/CoMo2S4 heterostructure is prepared by the hydrothermal and subsequent in situ polymerization methods. The well-designed nanotube-like structure is beneficial to relieve the serious volume changes and facilitate the infiltration of electrolytes during the charge/discharge process. The Mo3S4/CoMo2S4 heterostructure could effectively enhance the electrical conductivity and Li+ transport kinetics owing to the refined energy band structure and the internal electric field at the heterostructure interface. Moreover, the conductive PPy-coated layer could inhibit the obvious volume expansion like a firm armor and further avoid the pulverization of the active material and aggregation of generated products. Benefiting from the synergistic effects of the well-designed heterostructure and PPy-coated nanotube-like architecture, the prepared Mo3S4/CoMo2S4 heterostructure delivers high reversible capacity (1251.3 mAh g-1 at 300 mA g-1), superior rate performance (340.3 mAh g-1 at 5.0 A g-1) and excellent cycling lifespan (744.1 mAh g-1 after 600 cycles at a current density of 2.0 A g-1). Such a design concept provides a promising strategy towards heterostructure materials to enhance their lithium storage performances and boost their practical applications.

Innovative Protocols in the Catalytic Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural.

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) has been identified as one of the most promising biomass-based multi-purpose platform molecules. Innovative protocols, namely electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, and microwave (MW)-assisted chemistry, as well as continuous-flow systems, add a new dimension and another promising toolbox for the oxidation of HMF in recent years. This Minireview deals with recent progress in the catalytic oxidation of HMF to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and other intermediates using noble, non-noble, and metal-free systems deploying emerging protocols. Selective HMF downstream oxidation products could be obtained not only via common catalyst modifications, namely nature of the metal, preparative method, and the property of deployed support, but also by using innovative processes.

One-Pot FDCA Diester Synthesis from Mucic Acid and Their Solvent-Free Regioselective Polytransesterification for Production of Glycerol-Based Furanic Polyesters.

A one pot-two step procedure for the synthesis of diethyl furan-2,5-dicarboxylate (DEFDC) starting from mucic acid without isolation of the intermediate furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) was studied. Then, the production of three different kinds of furan-based polyesters- polyethylene-2,5-furan dicarboxylate (PEF), polyhydropropyl-2,5-furan dicarboxylate(PHPF) and polydiglycerol-2,5-furandicarboxylate (PDGF)-was realized through a Co(Ac)2·4H2O catalyzed polytransesterification performed at 160 °C between DEFDC and a defined diol furan-based prepolymer or pure diglycerol. In parallel to polymerization process, an unattended regioselective 1-OH acylation of glycerol by direct microwave-heated FDCA diester transesterification led to the formation of a symmetric prepolymer ready for further polymerization and clearly identified by 2D NMR sequences. Furthermore, the synthesis of a more soluble and hydrophilic diglycerol-based furanic polyester was also achieved. The resulting biobased polymers were characterized by NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy, DSC, TGA and XRD. The morphologies of the resulted polymers were observed by FE-SEM and the purity of the material by EDX.

Understanding lignin treatment in dialkylimidazolium-based ionic liquid-water mixtures.

The treatment of enzymatically hydrolyzed lignin (EHL) in dialkylimidazolium-based ionic liquid (IL)-water mixtures (50-100wt% IL content) was investigated at 150°C for 3h. pH, IL type, and IL content were found to greatly influence the degradation of lignin and the structure of regenerated lignin. 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium methylsulfonate-water mixtures with low pH facilitated lignin depolymerization but destroyed the regenerated lignin substructure. Regenerated lignin with low molecular weight and narrow polydispersity index (2.2-7.7) was obtained using a 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate-based system. Water addition inhibited lignin depolymerization at 50-100wt% IL content, except for 70wt% 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride-water mixture. Compared with pure IL treatment, obvious differences were observed in the breakdown of inter-unit linkages and ratio of syringyl to guaiacyl units in regenerated lignin with IL-water treatment.

Lignin dissolution in dialkylimidazolium-based ionic liquid-water mixtures.

Lignin dissolution in dialkylimidazolium-based ionic liquid (IL)-water mixtures (40wt%-100wt% IL content) at 60°C was investigated. The IL content and type are found to considerably affect lignin solubility. For the IL-water mixtures except 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C4C1im]BF4), the maximum lignin solubility can be achieved at 70wt% IL content. Lignin solubility in IL-water mixtures with different cations follows the order 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ([C4C1im](+))>1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium ([C6C1im](+))>1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ([C2C1im](+))>1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium ([C8C1im](+))>1-butyl-3-ethylimidazolium ([C4C2im](+))>1-butyl-3-propylimidazolium ([C4C3im](+)). For IL mixtures with different anions, lignin solubility decreases in the following order: methanesulfonate (MeSO3(-))>acetate (MeCO2(-))>bromide (Br(-))>dibutylphosphate (DBP(-)). Evaluation using the theory of Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) is consistent with the experimental results, suggesting that HSP can aid in finding the appropriate range of IL content for IL-water mixtures. However, HSP cannot be used to evaluate the effect of IL type on lignin solubility.