Constructing hierarchical MoS2/WS2 heterostructures in dual carbon layer for enhanced sodium ions batteries performance.

The escalating global demand for clean energy has spurred substantial interest in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) as a promising solution for large-scale energy storage systems. However, the insufficient reaction kinetics and considerable volume changes inherent to anode materials present significant hurdles to enhancing the electrochemical performance of SIBs. In this study, hierarchical MoS2/WS2 heterostructures were constructed into dual carbon layers (HC@MoS2/WS2@NC) and assessed their suitability as anodes for SIBs. The internal hard carbon core (HC) and outer nitrogen-doped carbon shell (NC) effectively anchor MoS2/WS2, thereby significantly improving its structural stability. Moreover, the conductive carbon components expedite electron transport during charge-discharge processes. Critically, the intelligently engineered interface between MoS2 and WS2 modulates the interfacial energy barrier and electric field distribution, promoting faster ion transport rates. Capitalizing on these advantageous features, the HC@MoS2/WS2@NC nanocomposite exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance when utilized as an anode in SIBs. Specifically, it delivers a high capacity of 415 mAh/g at a current density of 0.2 A/g after 100 cycles. At a larger current density of 2 A/g, it maintains a commendable capacity of 333 mAh/g even after 1000 cycles. Additionally, when integrated into a full battery configuration with a Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode, the Na3V2(PO4)3//HC@MoS2/WS2@NC full cell delivers a high capacity of 120 mAh/g after 300 cycles at 1 A/g. This work emphasizes the substantial improvement in battery performance that can be attained through the implementation of dual carbon confinement, offering a constructive approach to guide the design and development of next-generation anode materials for SIBs.

Novel Electrospun Sn-Based Composite Cathodes Exhibiting Extended Cycle Life for Hybrid Magnesium-Lithium Batteries.

In this study, we present a strategic approach for the structural design and composite modification of one-dimensional Sn-based nanocomposites to enhance the overall electrochemical performance of hybrid magnesium-lithium batteries (MLIBs), which are emerging as promising successors to lithium-ion batteries. By using electrospinning technology, we successfully synthesized NST-SnO2, NST-SnO2-NiO, Sn-CNF, and Ni3Sn2-CNF composite cathodes, as well as analyzed the synthesis mechanism of the four Sn-based cathodes. The 100-cycle testing at a current density of 500 mA·g-1 revealed that NST-SnO2 maintained a discharge specific capacity of 129.8 mA h·g-1 with a retention rate of 90.76%, while NST-SnO2-NiO achieved a higher capacity of 147.4 mA h·g-1 and an 88.05% retention rate. Notably, Sn-CNF and Ni3Sn2-CNF exhibited initial discharge capacities of 66.7 and 79.6 mA h·g-1, respectively, coupled with exceptional cycle stability, evidenced by retention rates of 104.19 and 102.38%. The remarkable cycling stability observed in these novel cathodes is attributed to their robust structural integrity, thus demonstrating the potential for an extended cycle life in MLIBs. This work provides significant advancement in the development of high-performance electrode materials for next-generation hybrid magnesium-lithium energy storage systems.

Remarkable purification of organic dyes by NiOOH-modified industrial waste residues.

Extracting functional materials from industrial waste residues to absorb organic dyes can maximize waste reuse and minimize water pollution. However, the extraordinarily low purification efficiency still limits the practical application of this strategy. Herein, the lamellar NiOOH is in-situ anchored on the industrial waste red mud surface (ARM/NiOOH) as an adsorbent to purify organic dyes in wastewater. ARM/NiOOH adsorbent with high specific surface area and porosity provides considerable active sites for the congo red (CR), thereby significantly enhancing the removal efficiency of CR. Besides, we fit a reasonable adsorption model for ARM/NiOOH adsorbent and investigate its adsorption kinetics. Resultantly, ARM/NiOOH adsorbent can remarkably adsorb 348.0 mg g-1 CR within 5 min, which is 7.91 times that of raw RM. Our work provides a strategy for reusing industrial waste and purifying sewage pollution, which advances wastewater treatment engineering.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Intrauterine Infusion as Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) to Combat Repeated Implantation Failure (RIF): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Repeated implantation failure (RIF) is considered one of the major challenges facing clinician in assisted reproduction technologies (ART) despite the significant advances that have been made in this field. Platelet rich plasma (PRP), also known as autologous conditioned plasma, is a protein concentrate with anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative characteristics. The use of PRP in women undergoing ART has been studied in the past, with varying degrees of success. The goal of this trial was to see if injecting PRP into the uterus improves pregnancy outcomes in women receiving ART. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Clinical Trials were among the databases searched (CENTRAL), from 2015 to 2021. The pooled estimates were calculated using a meta-analysis with a random-effects model. There were 14 studies with a total of 1081 individuals (549 cases and 532 controls). Results: There was no difference in miscarriage rates between women who got PRP and those who received placebo (P≤0.90). Chemical pregnancy (P≤0.00), clinical pregnancy (P ≤0.001), and implantation rate (P≤ 0.001) were all significantly higher in women. Endometrial thickness increased in women who got PRP vs women who received placebo after the intervention (P ≤0.001). Conclusion: PRP may be an alternate therapeutic approach for individuals with thin endometrium and RIF, according to the findings of this comprehensive study. To determine the subgroup that would benefit the most from PRP, more prospective, big, and high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed.

Flexible, recoverable, and efficient photocatalysts: MoS2/TiO2 heterojunctions grown on amorphous carbon-coated carbon textiles.

Most traditional powder photocatalysts are not easily recovered. Herein, we report a flexible and recoverable photocatalyst with superior photocatalytic activity, in which MoS2/TiO2 heterojunctions are grown on amorphous carbon-coated carbon textiles (CT@C-MoS2/TiO2). Recoverable CT@C-MoS2/TiO2 textile was used to degrade 10 mg L-1 rhodamine B, leading to a degradation rate of up to 98.8 % within 30 min. Such a degradation rate is much higher than that of most of the reported studies. A density functional theory (DFT) calculation results illustrate charge transfer mechanism inside TiO2-C, MoS2-C, and MoS2/TiO2 heterojunctions, which shows that CT@C-MoS2/TiO2 textile with three electron separation channels has a high photogenerated carrier separation rate, which remarkably enhances the photocatalytic activity. Our work provides a novel strategy to design an efficient and recoverable photocatalyst with high activity.

A strategy-purifying wastewater with waste materials: Zn2+ modified waste red mud as recoverable adsorbents with an enhanced removal capacity of congo red.

The strategy, called purifying wastewater with waste materials (PWWM), can simultaneously improve the secondary utilization of industrial waste materials and in turn, reduce environmental pollution. However, the PWWM strategy has still not been extensively used because of its low purification efficiency of organic pollutants and extremely difficult secondary utilization process. Herein, we use zinc aluminum silicate (ZAS) to modify waste granular red mud (GRM) to form a recoverable adsorbent, called ZAS/GRM adsorbent. The ZAS has been found to exhibit exceptional adsorption performance with the ability to firmly anchor onto the surface of GRM, in which heavy metal ions can effectively solidify and reduce their outflow. Furthermore, many voids have been tactfully designed in the ZAS/GRM adsorbents by using a water vapor project, which provide more active sites for congo red (CR) organic dye, thereby remarkably improving the removal efficiency of CR. From our purification of CR, we find that the CR adsorption capacity of the ZAS/GRM adsorbent is 3.509 mg g-1, which is four times higher than pure GRM (0.820 mg g-1). This study demonstrates our PWWM strategy is highly effective and can inspire more research on waste reuse.

Bimetallic MnMoO4 nanostructures on carbon fibers as flexible cathode for high performance zinc-ion batteries.

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) are promising energy storage devices due to the advantageous features of Zn. However, developing suitable cathode materials with high performance is still an urgent task for the development of ZIBs. In this work, we report on the preparation of a flexible cathode for ZIBs consisting of carbon fiber supported MnMoO4 nanostructures protected with N-doped carbon coatings (CF/MnMoO4@NCs). The N-doped carbon coating on MnMoO4 nanostructures can buffer volume expansion of MnMoO4, and the CF and NCs with good electronic conductivity can facilitate quick electrons transportation in the CF/MnMoO4@NCs system. The optimized CF/MnMoO4@NCs cathode exhibits high capacity and good rate capability. Specifically, it delivers an outstanding discharge capacity of 663 mA h g-1 at a current density of 0.1 A/g after 100 cycles, and at a current density of 2 A/g, the cathode can still achieve a discharge capacity of 212 mA h g-1. This work expands the choice of cathode material and provides constructive direction on designing high-performance cathode materials for ZIBs.

Upregulation of GLT25D1 in Hepatic Stellate Cells Promotes Liver Fibrosis via the TGF-ß1/SMAD3 Pathway In Vivo and In vitro.

Background and Aims: Collagen ß(1-O) galactosyltransferase 25 domain 1 (GLT25D1) is associated with collagen production and glycosylation, and its knockout in mice results in embryonic death. However, its role in liver fibrosis remains elusive, particularly in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the primary collagen-producing cells associated with liver fibrogenesis. Herein, we aimed to elucidate the role of GLT25D1 in HSCs. Methods: Bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced mouse liver fibrosis models, primary mouse HSCs (mHSCs), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1)-stimulated LX-2 human hepatic stellate cells were used in in vivo and in vitro studies. Stable LX-2 cell lines with either GLT25D1 overexpression or knockdown were established using lentiviral transfection. RNA-seq was performed to investigate the genomic differences. HPLC-MS/MS were used to identify glycosylation sites. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and second-harmonic generation/two-photon excited fluorescence (SHG/TPEF) were used to image collagen fibril morphology. Results: GLT25D1 expression was upregulated in nonparenchymal cells in human cirrhotic liver tissues. Meanwhile, its knockdown attenuated collagen deposition in BDL-induced mouse liver fibrosis and inhibited mHSC activation. GLT25D1 was overexpressed in activated versus quiescence LX-2 cells and regulated in vitro LX-2 cell activation, including proliferation, contraction, and migration. GLT25D1 also significantly increased liver fibrogenic gene and protein expression. GLT25D1 upregulation promoted HSC activation and enhanced collagen expression through the TGF-ß1/SMAD signaling pathway. Mass spectrometry showed that GLT25D1 regulated the glycosylation of collagen in HSCs, affecting the diameter of collagen fibers. Conclusions: Collectively, the upregulation of GLT25D1 in HSCs promoted the progression of liver fibrosis by affecting HSCs activation and collagen stability.

C6orf120 gene deficiency may be vulnerable to carbon tetrachloride induced acute hepatic injury in rats.

Introduction: The function of the C6orf120 gene, which encodes an N-glycosylated protein, remains unknown. The study was performed to characterize the utility of the C6orf120 gene in carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury and to elucidate the potential underlying mechanisms by establishing a C6orf120 gene-knockout (C6orf120-/-) rat model. Material and methods: C6orf120-/- and wild-type (WT) rats were intraperitoneally administered with CCl4 (1 : 1 v/v in olive oil, 2 µl/g). Rats were sacrificed 24 h after CCl4 administration. Liver tissues were collected for H&E, IHC, qRT-PCR, and Western blot analysis. Results: C6orf120 gene deficiency may be vulnerable to CCl4-induced acute liver injury in rats as indicated by the high levels of alanine aminotransferase (WT: 388.7 ±55.96 vs. C6orf120-/-: 915.9 ±118.8, p < 0.001) and greater degree of pathological damage. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction showed that the mRNA levels of inflammation-associated cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, in liver tissues were increased in C6orf120-/- rats compared with those in WT rats. Moreover, western blot showed that the protein expression of cytokines nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain leucine rich repeat and pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), caspase-1, IL-1ß, nuclear factor-κB, c-Jun N-terminal kinases, and Bax were increased in C6orf120-/- rats compared with those in WT rats. Conclusions: C6orf120-/- rats were susceptible to CCl4-induced liver injury, which may be related to NLRP3 inflammasome and JNK signaling pathway activation.

Heterostructured CoS2/CuCo2S4@N-doped carbon hollow sphere for potassium-ion batteries.

Potassium ions batteries (PIBs) have been regarded as a promising choice for electrical energy storage technology due to the wide distribution of potassium resources. However, developing low-cost and robust earth-rich anode materials is still a major challenge for the practical and scalable usage of PIBs. Herein, for the first time, we developed nitrogen doped carbon coating CoS2/CuCo2S4 heterostructure (CoS2/CuCo2S4@NCs) hollow spheres and evaluated as anode for PIBs. The CoS2 and CuCo2S4 heterostructure interface could generate a built-in electric field, which can fasten electrons transportation. The nanostructures could shorten the diffusion length of K+ and provide large surface area to contact with electrolytes. Furthermore, the inner hollow sphere morphology along with the carbon layer could accommodate the volume expansion during cycling. What's more, the N-doped carbon could increase the conductivity of the anodes. Benefitting from the above features, the CoS2/CuCo2S4@NCs displays an outstanding rate capability (309 mAh g-1 at 500 mA g-1 after 250 cycles) and a long-term cycling life (112 mAh g-1 at 1000 mA g-1 after 1000 cycles) in ether-based electrolyte. Conversion reaction mechanism in CoS2/CuCo2S4@NCs anode is also revealed through ex situ XRD characterizations. This work provides a practical direction for investigating metal sulfides as anode for PIBs.

Multiscale Co-reconstruction of Lung Architectures and Inhalable Materials Spatial Distribution.

The effective pulmonary deposition of inhaled particulate carriers loaded with drugs is a prerequisite for therapeutic effects of drug delivery via inhalation route. Revealing the sophisticated lung scaffold and intrapulmonary distribution of particles at three-dimensional (3D), in-situ, and single-particle level remains a fundamental and critical challenge for dry powder inhalation in pre-clinical research. Here, taking advantage of the micro optical sectioning tomography system, the high-precision cross-scale visualization of entire lung anatomy is obtained. Then, co-localized lung-wide datasets of both cyto-architectures and fluorescent particles are collected at full scale with the resolution down to individual particles. The precise spatial distribution pattern reveals the region-specific distribution and structure-associated deposition of the inhalable particles in lungs, which is undetected by previous methods. Overall, this research delivers comprehensive and high-resolution 3D detection of pulmonary drug delivery vectors and provides a novel strategy to evaluate materials distribution for drug delivery.

Collagen ß(1-O) galactosyltransferase 2 deficiency contributes to lipodystrophy and aggravates NAFLD related to HMW adiponectin in mice.

AIM: Our previous results showed that Colgalt1 knock-out resulted in fetal death on day E11.5, and collagen secretion was retarded. This study aimed to elucidate the role of Collagen ß(1-O) galactosyltransferase 2 (Colgalt2) in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: Colgalt2-/- mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or methionine-and choline-deficient diet (MCD). Nanopore long-read RNA-Seq analysis of liver tissues was used to profile genomic variation. In vitro, hepatocyte steatosis and differentiation of primary pre-adipocytes were induced. RESULTS: Colgalt2-/- mice exhibited lipodystrophy, increased body weight, and hepatic lipid accumulation at 6 weeks of age. Colgalt2 deficiency aggravated hepatic steatosis in mice fed an HFD or a standard laboratory chow diet. Colgalt2 deficiency promotes steatohepatitis in MCD-fed mice. In HFD mice, Colgalt2 deficiency caused lipodystrophy and decreased plasma HMW, total adiponectin, and leptin levels. Colgalt2 deficiency also reduced circulating HMW/Total adiponectin in mice fed a HFD diet without differences of adiponectin mRNA and protein level in WT and Colgalt2-/- mice. The nanopore long-read RNA-Seq analysis results revealed transcriptional changes in the adiponectin receptor downstream signaling pathway and lipogenic genes, including the AMPK signaling pathway, adipocytokine signaling pathway, and lipid metabolism (Cidea, Cidec, CD36, and PPARγ). Colgalt2 deficiency did not promote lipid accumulation in OA-induced HepG2 cells or primary hepatocytes. However, Colgalt2 deficiency inhibited adipogenesis and reduced PPARγ, adipogenesis-related transcription factors, and expression during adipocyte differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: In mice, Colgalt2 deficiency contributes to lipodystrophy and promotes NAFLD related to HMW adiponectin. These results suggest that Colgalt2 could be a novel and promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of NAFLD.

Bi2O3/BiVO4@graphene oxide van der Waals heterostructures with enhanced photocatalytic activity toward oxygen generation.

The van der Waals (vdW) integration enables to create heterostructures with intimate contact and bring new opportunities. However, it is not confined to layered materials but can also be generally extended to 3D materials. Multidimensional Bi2O3/BiVO4@graphene oxide (GO) van der Waals heterostructures are synthesized by one-pot wet chemistry method. Bi2O3/BiVO4 composite nanoparticles are self-assembled with GO framework by vdW interaction to form vdW heterostructures, in which GO framework allows short electron transport distance and rapid charge transfer and provides massive reactive sites. Such self-assembled heterostructures show a superior high photoactivity towards oxygen evolution with an enhanced oxygen generation rate of 1828 µmol h-1 g-1, nearly 3 times than that of pure BiVO4, attributed to the accelerated charge separation and transfer processes of Bi2O3/BiVO4@GO vdW heterostructures. This study indicates that our strategy provides a new avenue towards fabricating multi-dimensional vdW heterostructures and inspiring more innovative insights in oxygen evolution field.

High-Performance Multifunctional Carbon-Silicon Carbide Composites with Strengthened Reduced Graphene Oxide.

Materials with low density, exceptional thermal and corrosion resistance, and ultrahigh mechanical and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance are urgently demanded for aerospace and military industries. Efficient design of materials' components and microstructures is crucial yet remains highly challenging for achieving the above requirements. Herein, a strengthened reduced graphene oxide (SrGO)-reinforced multi-interfacial carbon-silicon carbide (C-SiC)n matrix (SrGO/(C-SiC)n) composite is reported, which is fabricated by depositing a carbon-strengthening layer into rGO foam followed by alternate filling of pyrocarbon (PyC) and silicon carbide (SiC) via a precursor infiltration pyrolysis (PIP) method. By increasing the number of alternate PIP sequences (n = 1, 3 and 12), the mechanical, electrical, and EMI shielding properties of SrGO/(C-SiC)n composites are significantly increased. The optimal composite exhibits excellent conductivity of 8.52 S·cm-1 and powerful average EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 70.2 dB over a broad bandwidth of 32 GHz, covering the entire X-, Ku-, K-, and Ka-bands. The excellent EMI SE benefits from the massive conduction loss in highly conductive SrGO skeletons and polarization relaxation of rich heterogeneous PyC/SiC interfaces. Our composite features low density down to 1.60 g·cm-3 and displays robust compressive properties (up to 163.8 MPa in strength), owing to the uniformly distributed heterogeneous interfaces capable of consuming great fracture energy upon loadings. Moreover, ultrahigh thermostructural stability (up to 2100 °C in Ar) and super corrosion resistance (no strength degradation after long-term acid and alkali immersion) are also discovered. These excellent comprehensive properties, along with ease of low-cost and scalable production, could potentially promote the practical applications of the SrGO/(C-SiC)n composite in the near future.

In situ construction of hierarchical polyaniline/SnS2@carbon nanotubes on carbon fibers for high-performance supercapacitors.

Carbon fibers (CFs) show great potential for high-performance supercapacitors in miniature electronics fields, where high energy density and long cycling life are required. However, superior combination of these two attributes in CF-based supercapacitors still presents a long-standing challenge. Herein, straight carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with radial orientation and high chemical/physical stability are served as nanoscale conductive skeletons on CFs for supporting the polyaniline (PANI)/SnS2. The SnS2 with nanoflower-like features significantly increases the specific capacitance and specific surface area (SSA); furthermore, the PANI nanolayers covered on SnS2 petals enable secondary specific capacitance enhancement and inhibition of volume expansion of SnS2 during charging/discharging processes. Benefiting from these structural merits, the resultant PANI/SnS2@CNTs/CFs hybrids exhibit high SSA (2732.5 m2 g-1), high specific capacitance (891 F g-1 at 20 mV s-1) and excellent cycling stability (83.8% after 6000 cycles at 2 A g-1). Moreover, the hybrids deliver a superior energy density of 38.7 W h kg-1 at a power density of 1 kW kg-1 and outstanding performance stability, which should prove to be vastly advantageous as compared to the reported CF-based supercapacitors. Our work puts forward a new thinking of rational construction of high-performance CF-based supercapacitors that can be used in practical energy storage devices.

Construction of Lycetin Nanocarriers and Its Effect on the Proliferation and Apoptosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Regulating Nuclear Factor E2 Related Factor/Antioxidant Response Element Pathway.

This article explores the role of lysin nanocarriers in inducing apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and the possible molecular mechanisms. Cytotoxicity tests were performed in human fibroblast cell line MRC-5. Anti-cancer activity was tested in liver cancer cell lines HepG2 and HCCLM3. The results show that nanocarriers have a targeting effect on cancer cells, have high safety, and are good delivery vehicles for drugs. In this paper, the stability of lycopene and its degradation in aqueous solutions at different temperatures were studied, and the structure and mechanism of degradation products were determined. A new type of mesoporous silica nanocarrier was synthesized as a delivery carrier of lysin and its derivatives, which has a targeting effect on cancer cells and has a slow-release effect. Surface modification can improve circulation time and stability for future resistance in vivo. The cancer experiment laid the foundation. The results showed that the lysin nanocarriers inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and HCCLM3 human liver cancer cells in a dependent manner. After the lysin nanocarriers acted on HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells for 48 h, the cell apoptosis rate was significantly increased by flow cytometry analysis. The carrier can significantly increase the levels of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, and reduce the content of reduced glutathione and superoxide dismutase. At the same time, the lysin nanocarrier can down-regulate the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins, and inhibit the occurrence of Nrf2 Nuclear displacement. The lycopene nanocarrier inhibits the proliferation of HepG2, HCCLM3 human liver cancer cells, induces apoptosis, regulates the oxidative stress response in the cell, and regulates the Nrf2/AREE antioxidant signaling pathway, thereby promoting tumor cell apoptosis.

A meta-analysis of the prognostic significance of Golgi protein 73 in hepatocellular carcinoma in Chinese patients.

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, an increasing number of studies have revealed the possible prognostic significance of Golgi protein 73 (GP73) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the results are still controversial. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to explore the possible correlation between GP73 and prognostic value in HCC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Relevant publications were searched for in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database up to March 2018. Odds ratios (ORs) or hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of eligible studies were assessed by either fixed-effect or random effects models. Publication bias analysis was also performed to assess the reliability of the meta-analysis results. RESULTS: In total, 9 studies including 1292 patients with HCC were included and analysed systematically in the study. The results indicated that GP73 overexpression was significantly associated with later tumour stage, higher tumour grade and poor overall survival (OS). Combined analysis of three studies showed no statistical correlation between high GP73 expression and disease-free survival (DFS). Subgroup analyses were also performed to illustrate the relationship between high GP73 expression and OS. CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis suggested that overexpression of GP73 may be associated with poor prognosis in HCC and may also have a predictive role for HCC invasion and metastasis.

Tuning wall thickness of TiO2 microtubes for an enhanced photocatalytic activity with thickness-dependent charge separation efficiency.

TiO2 microtubes with tunable wall thickness have been synthesized by a one-step electrospinning method linked with a calcination process. The wall thickness of TiO2 microtubes can be easily tuned by altering the dosage of liquid paraffin. The influence of the thickness on the light-harvesting ability and separation efficiency of the photogenerated carriers was studied using ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence emission spectroscopy, and photocurrent density measurements. Results show that TiO2 microtubes with an appropriate thickness exhibit enhanced light scattering effect, UV-vis light-harvesting ability, charge separation efficiency, and photocatalytic performance. The degradation rates of rhodamine B and 2,4-dinitrophenol by using TiO2 microtubes synthesized at a dosage of 0.14 g/mL liquid paraffin are 99.9% within 60 min and 97.8% within 40 min, respectively, which are higher than most of the reported values. All these results suggest that our work provides an ideal strategy for adjusting the wall thickness of TiO2 microtubes and new approach to enhance the photocatalytic performance of TiO2.

Flexible Carbon-Fiber/Semimetal Bi Nanosheet Arrays as Separable and Recyclable Plasmonic Photocatalysts and Photoelectrocatalysts.

In this work, we prepared flexible carbon-fiber/semimetal Bi nanosheet arrays from solvothermal-synthesized carbon-fiber/Bi2O2CO3 nanosheet arrays via a reductive calcination process. The flexible carbon-fiber/semimetal Bi nanosheet arrays can function as photocatalysts and photoelectrocatalysts for 2,4-dinitorphenol oxidation. Compared with carbon-fiber/Bi2O2CO3 nanosheet arrays, the newly designed flexible carbon-fiber/semimetal Bi nanosheet arrays show enhanced ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) light absorption efficiency and photocurrent, photocatalytic, and photoelectrocatalytic activities. Photocatalytic analyses indicate that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of semimetal Bi occurs under solar-simulated light irradiation during the photocatalytic process. The carbon-fiber traps the hot electrons exerted from the SPR of semimetal Bi and creates holes in the semimetal Bi nanosheets, which boosts the photocatalytic activity of the carbon fiber through plasmonic sensitization. Both photocatalytic experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the electrons transferred to the carbon fiber and the holes created in semimetal Bi contribute to the formation of •O2- and •OH, respectively. The synergistic effect between electrocatalysis and photocatalysis under the solar-simulated light results in almost complete degradation of 2,4-dinitorphenol during the photoelectrocatalytic process. This work realizes a non-noble-metal plasmonic catalyst and provides a new avenue for the commercialization of photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis using the separable and recyclable carbon-fiber/semimetal Bi nanosheet arrays in the environment-related field.

Amorphous carbon coated SnO2 nanohseets on hard carbon hollow spheres to boost potassium storage with high surface capacitive contributions.

Potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) have becoming a prospective energy storage technique, due to the abundant potassium resources in the earth crust, approximate redox potential and similar electrochemical behavior of potassium and lithium. However, the insufficient capacity, poor stability and volume expansion of electrode materials during charge and discharge are main factors restricting the further development of KIBs. This work reports an amorphous carbon coated SnO2 nanohseets on hard carbon hollow spheres (AC/SnO2@HCHS) anode with enhanced potassium storage performance. The HCHS acts as a carrier for SnO2 nanosheets, providing high electrical conductivity and stable skeleton. The self-assembled SnO2 nanosheets with high surface area ensures sufficient contact with the electrolyte. Amorphous carbon wrapping can not only relieve SnO2 volume expansion but also provide surface-induced capacitive capacity. As a consequence, the AC/SnO2@HCHS anode presents excellent potassium-ion storage performance with high discharge capacity of 346 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 over 200 cycles, ultra-long cycling lifetime and outstanding rate capability (236 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1 over 1000 cycles).