Characterization of potato starch-high amylose rice starch blend as a substitute of acetylated potato starch in long-life noodle.

This study investigated the suitability of a potato starch (NP)-Dodamssal rice starch (DD) mixture to replace acetylated potato starch (AP) in long-life noodles. Wheat flour (WF) was replaced with AP and NP in 20% of WF, and NP was replaced with DD in 10-50% of NP. The swelling power of the WF-AP mixture was similar to that of all the WF-NP-DD mixtures. The melting enthalpies of the WF-NP-DD mixtures were slightly higher than those of the WF-AP mixtures. The pasting viscosity decreased with increasing DD content of the mixtures. The G' of all the WF-NP-DD mixtures was higher than that of the WF-AP mixture over the temperature profile, and similar G' patterns over time were observed. The tensile strengths of noodles by the WF-NP-DD mixtures were similar to those obtained using the WF and WF-AP mixture. Overall, NP-DD mixtures have the potential to replace AP when mixed with WF. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-024-01628-7.

Navigating global collaboration: challenges faced by the international network on esophageal atresia.

The International Network on Esophageal Atresia (INoEA) stands as a beacon of collaboration in addressing the complexities of this congenital condition on a global scale. The eleven board members, from various countries (USA, Canada, France, Australia, Italy, Sweden, Germany, and The Netherlands) and backgrounds (pediatric gastroenterology, pediatric surgery, pediatric pulmonology, nursing, and parents) met in a face-to-face symposium in Lille in November 2023, to identify challenges and solutions for improving global collaboration of the network.

Long-Lifespan Fibrous Aqueous Ni//Bi Battery Enabled by Bi2O3-Bi2S3 Hierarchical Heterostructures.

Bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) materials are considered as great promising anodes for aqueous batteries on account of the high capacity as well as wide potential plateau. Nevertheless, the low conductivity and severe volumetric change of Bi2O3 in the course of cycling are the main limiting factors for their application in energy-storage systems. Herein, we propose and design unique hierarchical heterostructures constructed by Bi2O3 and Bi2S3 nanosheets (NSs) manufactured immediately on the surface of carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs). The Bi2O3-Bi2S3 (BO-BS) exhibits enhanced conductivity and increased stability in comparison with pure Bi2O3 and Bi2S3. The BO-BS NSs/CNTF electrode indicates exceptional rate capability and cycling stability, while creating a high reversible capacity of 0.68 mAh cm-2 at 4 mA cm-2, as anticipated. Additionally, the quasi-solid-state fibrous aqueous Ni//Bi battery that was built with the BO-BS NSs/CNTF anode delivers an exceptional cycling stability of 52.7% capacity retention after 4000 cycles at 80 mA cm-2, an ultrahigh capacity of 0.35 mAh cm-2 at 4 mA cm-2, and a high energy density of 340.1 mWh cm-3 at 880 mW cm-3. This work demonstrates the potential of constructing hierarchical heterostructures of bismuth-based materials for high-performance aqueous Ni//Bi batteries and other energy-storage devices.

Overweight as a Causal Factor Contributing to Better Survival at the Oldest Old Ages: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Overweight, defined by a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 30, has been associated with enhanced survival among older adults in some studies. However, whether being overweight is causally linked to longevity remains unclear. To investigate this, we conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study of lifespan 85+ years, using overweight as an exposure variable and data from the Health and Retirement Study and the Long Life Family Study. An essential aspect of MR involves selecting appropriate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as instrumental variables (IVs). This is challenging due to the limited number of SNP candidates within biologically relevant genes that can satisfy all necessary assumptions and criteria. To address this challenge, we employed a novel strategy of creating additional IVs by pairing SNPs between candidate genes. This strategy allowed us to expand the pool of IV candidates with new 'composite' SNPs derived from eight candidate obesity genes. Our study found that being overweight between ages 75 and 85, compared to having a normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9), significantly contributes to improved survival beyond age 85. Results of this MR study thus support a causal relationship between overweight and longevity in older adults.

Comparative Impact of Hydroxychloride and Organic Sources of Manganese, Zinc, and Copper in Rearing Diets on Pullet Growth, Tibia Traits, Egg Production, and Eggshell Quality in Lohmann Brown Birds up to 50 Weeks of Age.

(1) Background: This study assessed the efficacy of hydroxychloride sources of zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) compared with organic sources in the rearing diets of Lohmann brown pullets, focusing on pullet performance, tibia quality, egg production, and eggshell quality. (2) Methods: A total of 120 birds (six replications and 10 birds each) received diets with Mn, Zn, and Cu from organic or hydroxychloride sources during the rearing phase. After the onset of lay, birds were fed diets containing oxide/sulfate sources up to 50 weeks of age. (3) Results: no significant differences were observed in growth performance and tibia quality during the rearing phase (p > 0.05). From 18 to 24 weeks of age, no carryover effect on egg production performance was observed. However, from 25-50 weeks, pullets fed hydroxychloride sources showed lower feed intake and egg mass compared to the organic group (p < 0.05), whereas egg production and eggshell quality remained similar between groups (p > 0.05). (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest the potential of hydroxychloride sources in rearing diets without compromising overall growth in the pullet phase and feed efficiency in the laying cycle.

Bimetallic Intercalated Vanadium Oxide As a High-Performance Cathode for Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries.

In this paper, a bimetallic Na0.13Mg0.02V2O5·0.98H2O (NMVO) material with an interlayer spacing of 11.67 Å was synthesized by a simple preintercalation method as a cathode for zinc ionic batteries (ZIBs). The large layer spacing provides a wide channel for the embedding of Zn2+, resulting in high reversible capacity and ion diffusion kinetics. In addition, by virtue of the high electronic conductivity of metal ions, NMVO exhibits excellent electronic conductivity under the combined action of Na+ and Mg2+ bimetallic intercalation. At the same time, preintercalation ions and structural water act as interlayer pillars to stabilize the layer structure of NMVO during the cycling process. The above reasonable structural design endows the NMVO with excellent electrochemical performance. The battery with NMVO cathode delivers a high initial capacity of 126 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1, and still remains at 76% after 5000 cycles, providing 100 Wh kg-1 energy density and 9.5 kW kg-1 power density (based on the mass of cathode). This bimetallic intercalation structure provides a general feasible scheme for the design of vanadium-based electrode materials.

Triclosan induces liver injury in long-life exposed mice via activation of TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.

Triclosan (TCS) is a widely used synthetic, with broad-spectrum antibacterial properties found in both pharmaceuticals and personal care products. More specifically, it is hepatotoxic in rodents and exhibits differential effects in mice and humans. However, the mechanisms underlying TCS-induced liver toxicity have not been elucidated. This study examined the role of the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/ nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)/ nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) pathway in TCS-exposed liver toxicity by established a long-life TCS-exposed mice liver injury model. The 24 C57BL/6 pregnant mice exposed to TCS (0, 50 and 100 mg/kg) every day during the gestation and nursing period. After weaning, the male mice were left to continue administrate with TCS until 8 weeks of age. Then, mice in each group were sacrificed for investigation. Long-life exposure to TCS resulted in a reduction of body weight in growth mice. TCS exposure caused the increase of serum ALT, AST and ALP. The situation of inflammatory cell infiltration, macrophage recruitment and collagen fiber deposition in TCS-exposed mice liver tissues were performed by histological analysis including hematoxylin-eosin, Masson, Sirius red, and immunohistochemistry staining. Protein expression levels in TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway was measured through Western blot, and the NLRP3 inflammasome activation was measured using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The results showed that exposure to TCS elevated TLR4, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (Myd88), TNF receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6), enhanced NF-κB activation, and affected NLRP3 inflammasome activation in mice liver. Collectively, these findings indicate that long-life exposure to TCS-induced mice by upregulating the TLR4-Myd88-TRAF6 pathway, activating the NF-κB signaling cascade, initiating the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, and ultimately leading to liver injury, including inflammation, hepatocyte pyroptosis and hepatofibrosis. Henceforth, the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway may now provide a theoretical basis and valuable therapeutic targets for overcoming TCS-induced liver toxicity.

"Fast-Charging" Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries from Perspective of Ion Diffusion in Crystal Structure.

"Fast-charging" lithium-ion batteries have gained a multitude of attention in recent years since they could be applied to energy storage areas like electric vehicles, grids, and subsea operations. Unfortunately, the excellent energy density could fail to sustain optimally while lithium-ion batteries are exposed to fast-charging conditions. In actuality, the crystal structure of electrode materials represents the critical factor for influencing the electrode performance. Accordingly, employing anode materials with low diffusion barrier could improve the "fast-charging" performance of the lithium-ion battery. In this Review, first, the "fast-charging" principle of lithium-ion battery and ion diffusion path in the crystal are briefly outlined. Next, the application prospects of "fast-charging" anode materials with various crystal structures are evaluated to search "fast-charging" anode materials with stable, safe, and long lifespan, solving the remaining challenges associated with high power and high safety. Finally, summarizing recent research advances for typical "fast-charging" anode materials, including preparation methods for advanced morphologies and the latest techniques for ameliorating performance. Furthermore, an outlook is given on the ongoing breakthroughs for "fast-charging" anode materials of lithium-ion batteries. Intercalated materials (niobium-based, carbon-based, titanium-based, vanadium-based) with favorable cycling stability are predominantly limited by undesired electronic conductivity and theoretical specific capacity. Accordingly, addressing the electrical conductivity of these materials constitutes an effective trend for realizing fast-charging. The conversion-type transition metal oxide and phosphorus-based materials with high theoretical specific capacity typically undergoes significant volume variation during charging and discharging. Consequently, alleviating the volume expansion could significantly fulfill the application of these materials in fast-charging batteries.

Engineering a Dynamic Solvent-Phobic Liquid Electrolyte Interphase for Long-Life Lithium Metal Batteries.

The heterogeneity, species diversity, and poor mechanical stability of solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs) in conventional carbonate electrolytes result in the irreversible exhaustion of lithium (Li) and electrolytes during cycling, hindering the practical applications of Li metal batteries (LMBs). Herein, this work proposes a solvent-phobic dynamic liquid electrolyte interphase (DLEI) on a Li metal (Li-PFbTHF (perfluoro-butyltetrahydrofuran)) surface that selectively transports salt and induces salt-derived SEI formation. The solvent-phobic DLEI with C-F-rich groups dramatically reduces the side reactions between Li, carbonate solvents, and humid air, forming a LiF/Li3PO4-rich SEI. In situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Ab-initio molecular dynamics demonstrate that DLEI effectively stabilizes the interface between Li metal and the carbonate electrolyte. Specifically, the LiFePO4||Li-PFbTHF cells deliver 80.4% capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 1.0 C, excellent rate capacity (108.2 mAh g-1 at 5.0 C), and 90.2% capacity retention after 550 cycles at 1.0 C in full-cells (negative/positive (N/P) ratio of 8) with high LiFePO4 loadings (15.6 mg cm-2) in carbonate electrolyte. In addition, the 0.55 Ah pouch cell of 252.0 Wh kg-1 delivers stable cycling. Hence, this study provides an effective strategy for controlling salt-derived SEI to improve the cycling performances of carbonate-based LMBs.

Dual Interface Compatibility Enabled via Composite Solid Electrolyte with High Transference Number for Long-Life All-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

The development of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) effectively solves the safety problem derived from dendrite growth and volume change of lithium during cycling. In the meantime, the SSEs possess non-flammability compared to conventional organic liquid electrolytes. Replacing liquid electrolytes with SSEs to assemble all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs) has garnered significant attention as a promising energy storage/conversion technology for the future. Herein, a composite solid electrolyte containing two inorganic components (Li6.25 Al0.25 La3 Zr2 O12 , Al2 O3 ) and an organic polyvinylidene difluoride matrix is designed rationally. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculation results demonstrate the synergistic effect among the components, which results in enhanced ionic conductivity, high lithium-ion transference number, extended electrochemical window, and outstanding dual interface compatibility. As a result, Li||Li symmetric battery maintains a stable cycle for over 2500 h. Moreover, all-solid-state lithium metal battery assembled with LiNi0.6 Co0.2 Mn0.2 O2 cathode delivers a high discharge capacity of 168 mAh g-1 after 360 cycles at 0.1 C at 25 °C, and all-solid-state lithium-sulfur battery also exhibits a high initial discharge capacity of 912 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C. This work demonstrates a long-life flexible composite solid electrolyte with excellent interface compatibility, providing an innovative way for the rational construction of next-generation high-energy-density ASSLMBs.

Converting commercial Bi2O3 particles into Bi2O2Se@Bi4O8Se nanosheets for "rocking chair" zinc-ion batteries.

The development of a low-cost, high-capacity, and insertion-type anode is key for promoting "rocking chair" zinc-ion batteries. Herein, commercial Bi2O3 (BiO) particles are transformed into Bi2O2Se@Bi4O8Se (BiOSe) nanosheets through a simple selenylation process. The change in morphology from commercial BiO particle to BiOSe nanosheet leads to an increased specific surface area of the material. The enhanced electronic/ionic conductivity results in its excellent electrochemical kinetics. Ex situ XRD and XPS tests prove the intercalation-type mechanism of BiO and BiOSe as well as the superior electrochemical reversibility of BiOSe compared to BiO. Furthermore, the H+/Zn2+ co-insertion mechanism of BiOSe is revealed. This makes BiOSe to have low discharge plateaus of 0.38/0.68 V, a high reversible capacity of 182 mA h g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, and a long cyclic life of 500 cycles at 1 A g-1. Besides, the BiOSe//MnO2 "rocking chair" zinc-ion battery offers a high capacity of ≈90 mA h g-1 at 0.2 A g-1. This work provides a reference for turning commercial material into high-performance anode for "rocking chair" zinc-ion batteries.

Long-Life Quasi-Solid-State Anode-Free Batteries Enabled by Li Compensation Coupled Interface Engineering.

Initially, anode-free Li metal batteries present a promising power source that merges the high production feasibility of Li-ion batteries with the superb energy capabilities of Li-metal batteries. However, their application confronts formidable challenges of extremely short lifespan due to the inadequacy of zero-Li-excess cell configuration against irreversible Li loss. A Li compensation coupled interface engineering strategy is reported for realizing long-life quasi-solid-state anode-free batteries. The Li2 S is utilized as a sacrificial Li supplement to effectively counterbalance irreversible Li loss without damage to cell chemistry. Meanwhile, it demonstrates remarkable efficacy in establishing a robust yet slender inorganic-organic hybrid solid-state interphase for inhibiting cell degradation by dead and dendritic Li. This strategy enables quasi-solid-state anode-free batteries with a long lifespan of 500 cycles. The Ah-scale quasi-solid-state pouch cells, featuring a high-loading LiFePO4 cathode and lean gel polymer electrolyte, exhibit a high specific energy of 300 Wh kgcell -1 . This achievement translates into an improvement of 46% in gravimetric energy and 94% in volumetric energy compared to LiFePO4 ||graphite batteries while outperforming LiFePO4 ||Li-metal batteries by 22-47% in volumetric energy. Such quasi-solid-state anode-free cells also demonstrate good safety, showcasing remarkable resistance against nail penetration in ambient air without failure, smoke, or fire accidents.

Thickness-Controlled Synthesis of Compact and Uniform MOF Protective Layer for Zinc Anode to Achieve 85% Zinc Utilization.

Zinc anode-based aqueous batteries have attracted considerable interest for large-scale energy storage and wearable devices. Unfortunately, the formation of Zn dendrite, parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and irreversible by-products, seriously restrict their practical applications. Herein, a series of compact and uniform metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) films with precisely controlled thickness (150-600 nm) are constructed by a pre-oxide gas deposition (POGD) method on Zn foil. Under the protection of MOF layer with optimum thickness, the corrosion of zinc, the side reaction of hydrogen evolution, and the growth of dendrites on the zinc surface are suppressed. The symmetric cell based on Zn@ZIF-8 anode exhibits exceptional cyclicality for over 1100 h with low voltage hysteresis of≈38 mV at 1 mA cm-2 . Even at current densities of 50 mA cm-2 with an area capacity of 50 mAh cm-2 (85% Zn utilization), the electrode can keep cycling for >100 h. Besides, this Zn@ZIF-8 anode also delivers a high average CE of 99.4% at 1 mA cm-2 . Moreover, a rechargeable Zn ion battery is fabricated based on the Zn@ZIF-8 anode and MnO2 cathode, which presents an exceptionally long lifespan with no capacity attenuation for 1000 cycles.

Ultrafast Electrical Pulse Synthesis of Highly Active Electrocatalysts for Beyond-Industrial-Level Hydrogen Gas Batteries.

The high reliability and proven ultra-longevity make aqueous hydrogen gas (H2 ) batteries ideal for large-scale energy storage. However, the low alkaline hydrogen evolution and oxidation reaction (HER/HOR) activities of expensive platinum catalysts severely hamper their widespread applications in H2 batteries. Here, cost-effective, highly active electrocatalysts, with a model of ruthenium-nickel alloy nanoparticles in ≈3 nm anchored on carbon black (RuNi/C) as an example, are developed by an ultrafast electrical pulse approach for nickel-hydrogen gas (NiH2 ) batteries. Having a competitive low cost of about one fifth of Pt/C benckmark, this ultrafine RuNi/C catalyst displays an ultrahigh HOR mass activity of 2.34 A mg-1 at 50 mV (vs RHE) and an ultralow HER overpotential of 19.5 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 . As a result, the advanced NiH2 battery can efficiently operate under all-climate conditions (from -25 to +50 °C) with excellent durability. Notably, the NiH2 cell stack achieves an energy density up to 183 Wh kg-1 and an estimated cost of ≈49 $ kWh-1 under an ultrahigh cathode Ni(OH)2 loading of 280 mg cm-2 and a low anode Ru loading of ≈62.5 µg cm-2 . The advanced beyond-industrial-level hydrogen gas batteries provide great opportunities for practical grid-scale energy storage applications.

Gradient Electrolyte Strategy Achieving Long-Life Zinc Anodes.

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries are plagued by a short lifespan caused by localized dendrites. High-concentration electrolytes are favorable for dense Zn deposition but have poor performance in batteries with glass-fiber separators. In contrast, low-concentration electrolytes can wet the separators well, ensuring the migration of zinc ions, but the dendrites grow rapidly. In this work, we propose an electrolyte gradient strategy wherein a zinc-ion concentration gradient is established from the anode to the separator, ensuring that the separator keeps a good wettability in low-concentration areas and the zinc anode achieves dendrite-free deposition in a high-concentration area. By using this strategy in a common electrolyte, zinc sulfate, a Zn||Zn symmetric cell achieves 14 000 ultralong cycles (exceeding 8 months) at 5 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2 . When the current is further increased to 20 mA cm-2 , the symmetric cell could still run for over 10 000 cycles. Assembled Zn||NVO full cells also demonstrate prominent performance. At a high current of 16 mA cm-2 , the NVO cathode with high loading (8 mg cm-2 ) still has a capacity of 58% after 1200 cycles. Overall, the gradient electrolyte strategy provides a promising approach for practical long-life Zn anodes with the advantages of simple operation and low cost.

Macroporous honeycomb-like magnesium oxide fabricated as long-life and outstanding Pb(II) adsorbents combined with mechanism insight.

The macroporous honeycomb-like MgO (MHM) had been successfully prepared by hard template method using polystyrene (PS) spheres with different particle sizes of about 400, 600, and 800 nm, respectively. The adsorption performance (3700, 3470, and 3087 mg/g) and specific surface areas (64.0, 51.4, and 34.4 m2/g) of MHM materials were inversely proportional to their pore diameters. Among the prepared MHM materials, MHM-400 exhibited the most excellent adsorption performance of 3700 mg/g towards Pb(II) at 25 °C. In this study, the macropore size in MHM played a major role in the adsorption process; Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) model further indicated that Pb(II) removal by MHM-400 was dominated by chemical adsorption. The thermodynamic analysis (ΔG0 < 0, ΔH0 > 0, and ΔS0 > 0) revealed that the Pb(II) adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic. After storing for 360 days, the Pb(II) removal efficiency of MHM-400 was still higher than 98.2%, exhibiting ultra-long life for Pb(II) capture. MHM-400 also exhibited high anti-interference ability towards typically coexisting ions (Na+ and K+). According to the density functional theory (DFT) calculation, the Pb could be adsorbed on the top site of the oxygen atom at the surface of the cubic MgO (200) plane; the adsorption energy (Ead) was 0.159 eV. The XRD and FTIR analyses revealed the further formation of Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2 and PbO after Pb(II) adsorption. Furthermore, MHM-400 could effectively remove both Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions from wastewater within 20 min, and the adsorption efficiency achieved > 99%, suggesting that MHM-400 was a potential material for effective Pb(II) removal.

Constructing Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Fiber Electrodes with Unique Hierarchical Microcrack Structure for High-Voltage, Ultrahigh-Rate, and Ultralong-Life Flexible Aqueous Zinc Batteries.

Flexible aqueous zinc batteries are promising candidates as safe power sources for fast-growing portable and wearable electronics. However, the low working voltage, poor rate capability, and cycling stability have greatly restricted their development and applications. Here, a new family of flexible bimetallic phosphide/carbon nanotube hybrid fiber electrodes with unique macroscopic microcrack structure and microscopic porous nanoflower structure is reported. The hierarchical microcrack structure not only facilitates the penetration of electrolyte for effective exposure of active sites, but also can serve as buffers to relieve the stress concentrations of the fiber electrode under deformations, enabling impressive electrochemical performance and mechanical flexibility. Particularly, the fabricated flexible aqueous zinc batteries demonstrate high working voltage plateau and specific capacity (≈1.7 V, 258.9 mAh g-1 at 2 A g-1 ), ultrahigh rate capability (135.8 mAh g-1 at 50 A g-1 , fully charged in only 9.8 s) and impressive power density of 79 000 W kg-1 . Moreover, the flexible batteries show ultralong cycling life with 74.6% capacity retention after 20 000 cycles. The fiber batteries are also highly flexible and can be easily knitted into soft electronic textiles to power a smartphone, which are particularly promising for the next-generation of flexible and wearable electronics.

Self-Powered Long-Life Microsystem for Vibration Sensing and Target Recognition.

Microsystems play an important role in the Internet of Things (IoT). In many unattended IoT applications, microsystems with small size, lightweight, and long life are urgently needed to achieve covert, large-scale, and long-term distribution for target detection and recognition. This paper presents for the first time a low-power, long-life microsystem that integrates self-power supply, event wake-up, continuous vibration sensing, and target recognition. The microsystem is mainly used for unattended long-term target perception and recognition. A composite energy source of solar energy and battery is designed to achieve self-powering. The microsystem's sensing module, circuit module, signal processing module, and transceiver module are optimized to further realize the small size and low-power consumption. A low-computational recognition algorithm based on support vector machine learning is designed and ported into the microsystem. Taking the pedestrian, wheeled vehicle, and tracked vehicle as targets, the proposed microsystem of 15 cm3 and 35 g successfully realizes target recognitions both indoors and outdoors with an accuracy rate of over 84% and 65%, respectively. Self-powering of the microsystem is up to 22.7 mW under the midday sunlight, and 11 min self-powering can maintain 24 h operation of the microsystem in sleep mode.

A Dendrite-Free Zn Anode Co-modified with In and ZnF2 for Long-Life Zn-Ion Capacitors.

Aqueous Zn (zinc) metal batteries have gotten a lot of interest and research because of their great volumetric capacity, low production cost, and high use safety. However, the coulombic efficiency of the Zn metal anode is low due to Zn dendrites formed during the charging and discharging processes of the battery, and the corrosion problem of the Zn anode in the electrolyte also reduces the battery's cycling stability and hinders its practical application. In this paper, InF3 has been used to decorate the surface of Zn foil, and In (indium) and ZnF2 coatings have been introduced to the surface of metal Zn simultaneously. After 1400 h of plating and stripping cycles, a symmetrical battery assembled from the modified Zn foil can still maintain a low voltage hysteresis of 30 mV. The Zn-ion capacitor assembled by the InF3-modified Zn foil (Zn@In&ZnF2) and activated carbon delivers an energy density of 33.5 Wh kg-1 and a power density of 1608 W kg-1 at a current density of 2 A g-1 and can still maintain almost 100% capacity after 10,000 cycles. This work is helpful to improve the cycling stability and the corrosion problem of aqueous Zn-based batteries.

Engineering High-Performance SiOx Anode Materials with a Titanium Oxynitride Coating for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Micron-sized silicon oxide (SiOx) has been regarded as a promising anode material for new-generation lithium-ion batteries due to its high capacity and low cost. However, the distinct volume expansion during the repeated (de)lithiation process and poor conductivity can lead to structural collapse of the electrode and capacity fading. In this study, SiOx anode materials coated with TiO0.6N0.4 layers are fabricated by a facile solvothermal and thermal reduction technique. The TiO0.6N0.4 layers are homogeneously dispersed on SiOx particles and form an intimate contact. The TiO0.6N0.4 layers can enhance the conductivity and suppress volume expansion of the SiOx anode, which facilitate ion/electron transport and maintain the integrity of the overall electrode structure. The as-prepared SiOx-TiON-200 composites demonstrate a high reversible capacity of 854 mAh g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 with a mass loading of 2.0 mg cm-2 after 250 cycles. This surface modification technique could be extended to other anodes with low conductivity and large volume expansion for lithium-ion batteries.