Compromised cell competition exhausts neural stem cells pool.

Blood vessels play a crucial role in maintaining the stem cell niche in both tumours and developing organs. Cell competition is critical for tumour progression. We hypothesise that blood vessels may act as a regulator of this process. As a pioneer, the secretions of blood vessels regulate the intensity of cell competition, which is essential for tumour invasion and developmental organ extension. Brd4 expresses highly in endothelial cells within various tumours and is positively correlated with numerous invasive genes, making it an ideal focal point for further research on the relationship between blood vessels and cell competition. Our results indicated that the absence of endothelial Brd4 led to a reduction in neural stem cell mortality and compromised cell competition. Endothelial Brd4 regulated cell competition was dependent on Testican2. Testican2 was capable of depositing Sparc and acted as a suppressor of Sparc. Compromised cell competition resulted in the depletion of neural stem cells and accelerated brain ageing. Testican2 could rescue the run-off of neural stem cells and accelerate the turnover rate of neurons. AD patients show compromised cell competition. Through the cloning of a point mutant of Brd4 identified in a subset of AD patients, it was demonstrated that the mutant lacked the ability to promote cell competition. This study suggests a novel approach for treating age-related diseases by enhancing the intensity of cell competition.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of different ratios and preparations of Angelica sinensis and chuanxiong rhizoma extracts.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Angelica sinensis (AS) and Chuanxiong rhizoma (CR) are frequently prescribed in clinical settings for their ability to enrich blood, regulate menstrual cycles, and alleviate pain. Despite their widespread use, there is a relative dearth of studies exploring their anti-inflammatory properties. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Angelica sinensis-Chuanxiong rhizoma (ASCR) extracts and investigate its anti-inflammatory mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: AS and CR were combined in six ratios and extracted using five solvents. The quality of the resulting ASCR extracts was assessed by determining the content of ferulic acid (FA) using HPLC. The antioxidant effects of the ASCR extracts were evaluated in vitro using the DPPH and ABTS assays, as well as in HUVECs exposed to H2O2-induced oxidative damage. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory effects of the extracts were investigated in vivo through the assays of ear edema in mice and paw edema in rats. Biochemical markers including NO, MDA, and SOD in paw tissues, as well as PGE2, TNF-α, and COX-2 in rat serum, were measured to further elucidate the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of ASCR extracts. RESULTS: The WA-2-1 was obtained by combining AS and CR in a 2:1 ratio through first water then ethanol extraction, and showed favorable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The extract demonstrated effective scavenging abilities against DPPH• and ABTS+• radicals while also protecting against H2O2-induced oxidative damage. Furthermore, in vivo studies revealed that WA-2-1 had significant inhibitory effects on ear and paw edema as well as the ability to decrease NO and MDA levels, enhance SOD activity, and downregulate the expression of COX-2, PGE2, and TNF-α. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of AS and CR exhibits favorable anti-inflammatory effects, attributed to its dual actions of mitigating oxidative stress and suppressing the production of inflammatory mediators in serum or tissues during the inflammatory process.

Steering the Orbital Hybridization to Boost the Redox Kinetics for Efficient Li-CO2 Batteries.

The sluggish CO2 reduction and evolution reaction kinetics are thorny problems for developing high-performance Li-CO2 batteries. For the complicated multiphase reactions and multielectron transfer processes in Li-CO2 batteries, exploring efficient cathode catalysts and understanding the interplay between structure and activity are crucial to couple with these pendent challenges. In this work, we applied the CoS as a model catalyst and adjusted its electronic structure by introducing sulfur vacancies to optimize the d-band and p-band centers, which steer the orbital hybridization and boost the redox kinetics between Li and CO2, thus improving the discharge platform of Li-CO2 batteries and altering the deposition behavior of discharge products. As a result, a highly efficient bidirectional catalyst exhibits an ultrasmall overpotential of 0.62 V and a high energy efficiency of 82.8% and circulates stably for nearly 600 h. Meanwhile, density functional theory calculations and multiphysics simulations further elucidate the mechanism of bidirectional activity. This work not only provides a proof of concept to design a remarkably efficient catalyst but also sheds light on promoting the reversible Li-CO2 reaction by tailoring the electronic structure.

Fe3O4-doped mesoporous carbon cathode with a plumber's nightmare structure for high-performance Li-S batteries.

Shuttling of lithium polysulfides and slow redox kinetics seriously limit the rate and cycling performance of lithium-sulfur batteries. In this study, Fe3O4-dopped carbon cubosomes with a plumber's nightmare structure (SP-Fe3O4-C) are prepared as sulfur hosts to construct cathodes with high rate capability and long cycling life for Li-S batteries. Their three-dimensional continuous mesochannels and carbon frameworks, along with the uniformly distributed Fe3O4 particles, enable smooth mass/electron transport, strong polysulfides capture capability, and fast catalytic conversion of the sulfur species. Impressively, the SP-Fe3O4-C cathode exhibits top-level comprehensive performance, with high specific capacity (1303.4 mAh g-1 at 0.2 C), high rate capability (691.8 mAh gFe3O41 at 5 C), and long cycling life (over 1200 cycles). This study demonstrates a unique structure for high-performance Li-S batteries and opens a distinctive avenue for developing multifunctional electrode materials for next-generation energy storage devices.

In Situ Construction of a Multifunctional Interphase Enabling Continuous Capture of Unstable Lattice Oxygen Under Ultrahigh Voltages.

The use of nickel-rich layered materials as cathodes can boost the energy density of lithium batteries. However, developing a safe and long-term stable nickel-rich layered cathode is challenging primarily due to the release of lattice oxygen from the cathode during cycling, especially at high voltages, which will cause a series of adverse effects, leading to battery failure and thermal runaway. Surface coating is often considered effective in capturing active oxygen species; however, its process is rather complicated, and it is difficult to maintain intact on the cathode with large volume changes during cycling. Here, we propose an in situ construction of a multifunctional cathode/electrolyte interphase (CEI), which is easy to prepare, repairable, and, most importantly, capable of continuously capturing active oxygen species during the entire life span. This unique protective mechanism notably improves the cycling stability of Li||LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) cells at rigorous working conditions, including ultrahigh voltage (4.8 V), high temperature (60 °C), and fast charging (10 C). An industrial 1 A h graphite||NCM811 pouch cell achieved stable operation of 600 cycles with a capacity retention of 79.6% at 4.4 V, exhibiting great potential for practical use. This work provides insightful guidance for constructing a multifunctional CEI to bypass limitations associated with high-voltage operations of nickel-rich layered cathodes.

A locally solvent-tethered polymer electrolyte for long-life lithium metal batteries.

Solid polymer electrolytes exhibit enhanced Li+ conductivity when plasticized with highly dielectric solvents such as N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). However, the application of DMF-containing electrolytes in solid-state batteries is hindered by poor cycle life caused by continuous DMF degradation at the anode surface and the resulting unstable solid-electrolyte interphase. Here we report a composite polymer electrolyte with a rationally designed Hofmann-DMF coordination complex to address this issue. DMF is engineered on Hofmann frameworks as tethered ligands to construct a locally DMF-rich interface which promotes Li+ conduction through a ligand-assisted transport mechanism. A high ionic conductivity of 6.5 × 10-4 S cm-1 is achieved at room temperature. We demonstrate that the composite electrolyte effectively reduces the free shuttling and subsequent decomposition of DMF. The locally solvent-tethered electrolyte cycles stably for over 6000 h at 0.1 mA cm-2 in Li | |Li symmetric cell. When paired with sulfurized polyacrylonitrile cathodes, the full cell exhibits a prolonged cycle life of 1000 cycles at 1 C. This work will facilitate the development of practical polymer-based electrolytes with high ionic conductivity and long cycle life.

A Large-Scale Fabrication of Flexible, Ultrathin, and Robust Solid Electrolyte for Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

All-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs) are considered as the most promising candidates for the next-generation high-safety batteries. To achieve high energy density in ASSLMBs, it is essential that the solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) are lightweight, thin, and possess superior electrochemical stability. In this study, a feasible and scalable fabrication approach to construct 3D supporting skeleton using an electro-blown spinning technique is proposed. This skeleton not only enhances the mechanical strength but also hinders the migration of Li-salt anions, improving the lithium-ion transference number of the SSE. This provides a homogeneous distribution of Li-ion flux and local current density, promoting uniform Li deposition. As a result, based on the mechanically robust and thin SSEs, the Li symmetric cells show outstanding Li plating/stripping reversibility. Besides, a stable interface contact between SSE and Li anode has been established with the formation of an F-enriched solid electrolyte interface layer. The solid-state Li|sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (Li|SPAN) cell achieves a capacity retention ratio of 94.0% after 350 cycles at 0.5 C. Also, the high-voltage Li|LCO cell shows a capacity retention of 92.4% at 0.5 C after 500 cycles. This fabrication approach for SSEs is applicable for commercially large-scale production and application in high-energy-density and high-safety ASSLMBs.

Achieving Stable Lithium Anodes through Leveraging Inevitable Stress Variations via Adaptive Piezoelectric Effect.

Unleashing the potential of lithium-metal anodes in practical applications is hindered by the inherent stress-related challenges arising from their limitless volume expansion, leading to mechanical failures such as electrode cracking, solid electrolyte interphase damage, and dendritic growth. Despite the various protective strategies to "combat" stress in lithium-metal anodes, they fail to address the intrinsic issue fundamentally. Here, a unique strategy is proposed that leverages the stress generated during the battery cycling via the piezoelectric effect, transforming to the adaptive built-in electric field to accelerate lithium-ion migration, homogenize the lithium deposition, and alleviate the stress concentration. The mechanism of the piezoelectric effect in modulating electro-chemomechanical field evolution is further validated and decoupled through finite element method simulations. Inspired by this strategy, a high sensitivity, fast responsive, and strength adaptability polymer piezoelectric is used to demonstrate the feasibility and the corresponding protected lithium-metal anode shows cycling stability over 6000 h under a current density of 10 mA cm-2 and extending life in a variety of coin and pouch cell systems. This work effectively tackles the stress-related issues and decoupling the electro-chemomechanical field evolution also contributes to developing more stable lithium anodes for future research.

An extended substrate screening strategy enabling a low lattice mismatch for highly reversible zinc anodes.

Aqueous zinc batteries possess intrinsic safety and cost-effectiveness, but dendrite growth and side reactions of zinc anodes hinder their practical application. Here, we propose the extended substrate screening strategy for stabilizing zinc anodes and verify its availability (dsubstrate: dZn(002) = 1: 1→dsubstrate: dZn(002)=n:1, n = 1, 2). From a series of calculated phyllosilicates satisfying dsubstrate ≈ 2dZn(002), we select vermiculite, which has the lowest lattice mismatch (0.38%) reported so far, as the model to confirm the effectiveness of "2dZn(002)" substrates for zinc anodes protection. Then, we develop a monolayer porous vermiculite through a large-scale and green preparation as a functional coating for zinc electrodes. Unique "planting Zn(002) seeds" mechanism for "2dZn(002)" substrates is revealed to induce the oriented growth of zinc deposits. Additionally, the coating effectively inhibits side reactions and promotes zinc ion transport. Consequently, the modified symmetric cells operate stably for over 300 h at a high current density of 50 mA cm-2. This work extends the substrate screening strategy and advances the understanding of zinc nucleation mechanism, paving the way for realizing high-rate and stable zinc-metal batteries.

Self-Assembly of Ultrathin, Ultrastrong Layered Membranes by Protic Solvent Penetration.

Flexible membranes with ultrathin thickness and excellent mechanical properties have shown great potential for broad uses in solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs), on-skin electronics, etc. However, an ultrathin membrane (<5 µm) is rarely reported in the above applications due to the inherent trade-off between thickness and antifailure ability. We discover a protic solvent penetration strategy to prepare ultrathin, ultrastrong layered films through a continuous interweaving of aramid nanofibers (ANFs) with the assistance of simultaneous protonation and penetration of a protic solvent. The thickness of a pure ANF film can be controlled below 5 µm, with a tensile strength of 556.6 MPa, allowing us to produce the thinnest SPE (3.4 µm). The resultant SPEs enable Li-S batteries to cycle over a thousand times at a high rate of 1C due to the small ionic impedance conferred by the ultrathin characteristic and regulated ionic transportation. Besides, a high loading of the sulfur cathode (4 mg cm-2) with good sulfur utilization was achieved at a mild temperature (35 °C), which is difficult to realize in previously reported solid-state Li-S batteries. Through a simple laminating process at the wet state, the thicker film (tens of micrometers) obtained exhibits mechanical properties comparable to those of thin films and possesses the capability to withstand high-velocity projectile impacts, indicating that our technique features a high degree of thickness controllability. We believe that it can serve as a valuable tool to assemble nanomaterials into ultrathin, ultrastrong membranes for various applications.

Unraveling the Coupling Effect between Cathode and Anode toward Practical Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

The localized reaction heterogeneity of the sulfur cathode and the uneven Li deposition on the Li anode are intractable issues for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries under practical operation. Despite impressive progress in separately optimizing the sulfur cathode or Li anode, a comprehensive understanding of the highly coupled relationship between the cathode and anode is still lacking. In this work, inspired by the Butler-Volmer equation, a binary descriptor (IBD ) assisting the rational structural design of sulfur cathode by simultaneously considering the mass-transport index (Imass ) and the charge-transfer index (Icharge ) is identified, and subsequently the relationship between IBD and the morphological evolution of Li anode is established. Guided by the IBD , a scalable electrode providing interpenetrated flow channels for efficient mass/charge transfer, full utilization of active sulfur, and mechanically elastic support for aggressive electrochemical reactions under practical conditions is reported. These characteristics induce a homogenous distribution of local current densities and reduced reaction heterogeneity on both sides of the cathode and anode. Impressive energy density of 318 Wh kg-1 and 473 Wh L-1 in an Ah-level pouch cell can be achieved by the design concept. This work offers a promising paradigm for unlocking the interaction between cathode and anode and designing high-energy practical Li-S batteries.

Band Structure Engineering and Orbital Orientation Control Constructing Dual Active Sites for Efficient Sulfur Redox Reaction.

The kinetics difference among multistep electrochemical processes leads to the accumulation of soluble polysulfides and thus shuttle effect in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. While the interaction between catalysts and representative species has been reported, the root of the kinetics difference, interaction change among redox reactions, remains unclear, which significantly impedes the catalysts design for Li-S batteries. Here, this work deciphers the interaction change among electrocatalytic sulfur reactions, using tungsten disulfide (WS2 ) a model system to demonstrate the efficiency of modifying electrocatalytic selectivity via dual-coordination design. Band structure engineering and orbital orientation control are combined to guide the design of WS2 with boron dopants and sulfur vacancies (B-WS2- x ), accurately modulating interaction with lithium and sulfur sites in polysulfide species for relatively higher interaction with short-chain polysulfides. The modified interaction trend is experimentally confirmed by distinguishing the kinetics of each electrochemical reaction step, indicating the effectiveness of the designed strategy. An Ah-level pouch cell with B-WS2- x delivers a gravimetric energy density of up to 417.6 Wh kg-1 with a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 3.6 µL mg-1 and negative/positive ratio of 1.2. This work presents a dual-coordination strategy for advancing evolutionarily catalytic activity, offering a rational strategy to develop effective catalysts for practical Li-S batteries.

Homogeneous Repair of Highly Degraded Ni-Rich Cathode Material with Spent Lithium Anode.

Direct regeneration of spent lithium-ion batteries has received wide attention owing to its potential for resource reuse and environmental benefits. The repair effect of direct regeneration methods undergoing heterogeneous repair process is usually inferior, while homogenous repair process plays a vital role to achieve satisfactory repair results. However, the practical applications of current homogeneous repair methods are challenged by the complex operations and relatively high costs owing to the requirement of additional heating or pressurization. Herein, this work proposes a simple strategy to achieve homogeneous repair of spent cathode materials under relatively mild conditions by uniformly precoating lithium source at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Followed by annealing, highly degraded LiNi0.83Co0.12Mn0.05O2 with severe Li deficiency and irreversible phase transition is repaired to have an initial capacity of 181.6 mAh g-1 and capacity retention of 80.7% after 150 cycles at 0.5 C. The lithium source used in this strategy is from the spent lithium anode. Moreover, this strategy is suitable for the direct regeneration of various layer oxide cathode materials with different failure degrees. This work provides both theoretical guidance and practical examples for the straightforward, effective, and universally applicable direct regeneration methods.

BACH1 changes microglial metabolism and affects astrogenesis during mouse brain development.

Microglia are highly heterogeneous as resident immune cells in the central nervous system. Although the proinflammatory phenotype of microglia is driven by the metabolic transformation in the disease state, the mechanism of metabolic reprogramming in microglia and whether it affects surrounding astrocyte progenitors have not been well elucidated. Here, we illustrate the communication between microglial metabolism and astrogenesis during embryonic development. The transcription factor BTB and CNC homology 1 (Bach1) reduces lactate production by inhibiting two key enzymes, HK2 and GAPDH, during glycolysis. Metabolic perturbation of microglia reduces lactate-dependent histone modification enrichment at the Lrrc15 promoter. The microglia-derived LRRC15 interacts with CD248 to participate in the JAK/STAT pathway and influence astrogenesis. In addition, Bach1cKO-Cx3 mice exhibit abnormal neuronal differentiation and anxiety-like behaviors. Altogether, this work suggests that the maintenance of microglia metabolic homeostasis during early brain development is closely related to astrogenesis, providing insights into astrogenesis and related diseases.

Sulfion oxidation assisting self-powered hydrogen production system based on efficient catalysts from spent lithium-ion batteries.

Converting spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and industrial wastewater into high-value-added substances by advanced electrocatalytic technology is important for sustainable energy development and environmental protection. Here, we propose a self-powered system using a home-made sulfide fuel cell (SFC) to power a two-electrode electrocatalytic sulfion oxidation reaction (SOR)-assisted hydrogen (H2) production electrolyzer (ESHPE), in which the sulfion-containing wastewater is used as the liquid fuel to produce clean water, sulfur, and hydrogen. The catalysts for the self-powered system are mainly prepared from spent LIBs to reduce the cost, such as the bifunctional Co9S8 catalyst was prepared from spent LiCoO2 for SOR and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The Fe-N-P codoped coral-like carbon nanotube arrays encapsulated Fe2P (C-ZIF/sLFP) catalyst was prepared from spent LiFePO4 for oxygen reduction reaction. The Co9S8 catalyst shows excellent catalytic activities in both SOR and HER, evidenced by the low cell voltage of 0.426 V at 20 mA cm-2 in ESHPE. The SFC with Co9S8 as anode and C-ZIF/sLFP as cathode exhibits an open-circuit voltage of 0.69 V and long discharge stability for 300 h at 20 mA cm-2. By integrating the SFC and ESHPE, the self-powered system delivers an impressive hydrogen production rate of 0.44 mL cm-2 min-1. This work constructs a self-powered system with high-performance catalysts prepared from spent LIBs to transform sulfion-containing wastewater into purified water and prepare hydrogen, which is promising to achieve high economic efficiency, environmental remediation, and sustainable development.

Regulating the Spin State Configuration in Bimetallic Phosphorus Trisulfides for Promoting Sulfur Redox Kinetics.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries suffer from sluggish kinetics due to the poor conductivity of sulfur cathodes and polysulfide shutting. Current studies on sulfur redox catalysis mainly focus on the adsorption and catalytic conversion of lithium polysulfides but ignore the modulation of the electronic structure of the catalysts which involves spin-related charge transfer and orbital interactions. In this work, bimetallic phosphorus trisulfides embedded in Prussian blue analogue-derived nitrogen-doped hollow carbon nanocubes (FeCoPS3/NCs) were elaborately synthesized as a host to reveal the relationship between the catalytic activity and the spin state configuration for Li-S batteries. Orbital spin splitting in FeCoPS3 drives the electronic structure transition from low-spin to high-spin states, generating more unpaired electrons on the 3d orbit. Specifically, the nondegenerate orbitals involved in the high-spin configuration of FeCoPS3 result in the upshift of energy levels, generating more active electronic states. Such tailored electronic structure increases the charge transfer, influences the d-band center, and further modifies the adsorption energy with lithium polysulfides and the potential reaction pathways. Consequently, the cell with FeCoPS3/NC host exhibits an ultralow capacity decay of 0.037% per cycle over 1000 cycles. This study proposed a general strategy for sculpting geometric configurations to enable spin and orbital topology regulation in Li-S battery catalysts.

Brain-specific Pd1 deficiency leads to cortical neurogenesis defects and depressive-like behaviors in mice.

Embryonic neurogenesis is tightly regulated by multiple factors to ensure the precise development of the cortex. Deficiency in neurogenesis may result in behavioral abnormalities. Pd1 is a well-known inhibitory immune molecule, but its function in brain development remains unknown. Here, we find brain specific deletion of Pd1 results in abnormal cortical neurogenesis, including enhanced proliferation of neural progenitors and reduced neuronal differentiation. In addition, neurons in Pd1 knockout mice exhibit abnormal morphology, both the total length and the number of primary dendrites were reduced. Moreover, Pd1cKO mice exhibit depressive-like behaviors, including immobility, despair, and anhedonia. Mechanistically, Pd1 regulates embryonic neurogenesis by targeting Pax3 through the ß-catenin signaling pathway. The constitutive expression of Pax3 partly rescues the deficiency of neurogenesis in the Pd1 deleted embryonic brain. Besides, the administration of ß-catenin inhibitor, XAV939, not only rescues abnormal brain development but also ameliorates depressive-like behaviors in Pd1cKO mice. Simultaneously, Pd1 plays a similar role in human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) proliferation and differentiation. Taken together, our findings reveal the critical role and regulatory mechanism of Pd1 in embryonic neurogenesis and behavioral modulation, which could contribute to understanding immune molecules in brain development.

The relationship between urinary selenium levels and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: A nested case-control study.

Background: Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for the human body. Serum Se and urinary Se are also biomarkers to assess Se exposure status. However, studies focusing on the association between urinary Se and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are rare. Objective: To investigate the association between urinary Se and the risk of GDM. Methods: A nested case-control study based on a prospective birth cohort in Wuhan, China, which focuses on the effects of prenatal environmental factors exposure on pregnant women and children's health was conducted. Two hundred and twenty-six cases and 452 controls were included. Maternal urine samples were collected before GDM diagnosis, and the urinary Se levels were determined. We assessed the association of urinary Se with GDM by conditional logistic regression with maternal urinary Se level as a categorical variable, and estimated the association between Se and glucose levels by multiple linear regression. The potential modifier roles of maternal age and fetal sex have also been assessed. Results: Lower urinary level of Se was significantly associated with a higher risk of GDM (OR = 2.35 for the tertile 1, 95% CI:1.36-4.06; adjusted OR = 1.79 for the tertile 2, 95%CI:1.09-2.95; p for trend = 0.01). Fetal sex had an interaction with Se in the association with GDM. The association was more pronounced among pregnant women with female fetuses than with male fetuses. Discussion: Our study suggested a significant negative association between urinary Se and the risk of GDM, and this association may vary depending on the fetal sex.

Uncoordinated chemistry enables highly conductive and stable electrolyte/filler interfaces for solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries.

Composite-polymer-electrolytes (CPEs) embedded with advanced filler materials offer great promise for fast and preferential Li+ conduction. The filler surface chemistry determines the interaction with electrolyte molecules and thus critically regulates the Li+ behaviors at the interfaces. Herein, we probe into the role of electrolyte/filler interfaces (EFI) in CPEs and promote Li+ conduction by introducing an unsaturated coordination Prussian blue analog (UCPBA) filler. Combining scanning transmission X-ray microscope stack imaging studies and first-principle calculations, fast Li+ conduction is revealed only achievable at a chemically stable EFI, which can be established by the unsaturated Co-O coordination in UCPBA to circumvent the side reactions. Moreover, the as-exposed Lewis-acid metal centers in UCPBA efficiently attract the Lewis-base anions of Li salts, which facilitates the Li+ disassociation and enhances its transference number (tLi+). Attributed to these superiorities, the obtained CPEs realize high room-temperature ionic conductivity up to 0.36 mS cm-1 and tLi+ of 0.6, enabling an excellent cyclability of lithium metal electrodes over 4,000 h as well as remarkable capacity retention of 97.6% over 180 cycles at 0.5 C for solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries. This work highlights the crucial role of EFI chemistry in developing highly conductive CPEs and high-performance solid-state batteries.

Topotactic Transformation of Surface Structure Enabling Direct Regeneration of Spent Lithium-Ion Battery Cathodes.

Recycling spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has become an urgent task to address the issues of resource shortage and potential environmental pollution. However, direct recycling of the spent LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 (NCM523) cathode is challenging because the strong electrostatic repulsion from a transition metal octahedron in the lithium layer provided by the rock salt/spinel phase that is formed on the surface of the cycled cathode severely disrupts Li+ transport, which restrains lithium replenishment during regeneration, resulting in the regenerated cathode with inferior capacity and cycling performance. Here, we propose the topotactic transformation of the stable rock salt/spinel phase into Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3(OH)2 and then back to the NCM523 cathode. As a result, a topotactic relithiation reaction with low migration barriers occurs with facile Li+ transport in a channel (from one octahedral site to another, passing through a tetrahedral intermediate) with weakened electrostatic repulsion, which greatly improves lithium replenishment during regeneration. In addition, the proposed method can be extended to repair spent NCM523 black mass, spent LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2, and spent LiCoO2 cathodes, whose electrochemical performance after regeneration is comparable to that of the commercial pristine cathodes. This work demonstrates a fast topotactic relithiation process during regeneration by modifying Li+ transport channels, providing a unique perspective on the regeneration of spent LIB cathodes.