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.

Preparation and anti-triple-negative breast cancer cell effect of a nanoparticle for the codelivery of paclitaxel and gemcitabine.

Amphiphilic polymers (HA-ANI) were prepared by grafting hyaluronic acid (HA) and 6-(2-nitroimidazole)hexylamine (ANI) and then self-assemble in water to form nanoparticles (NPs) that could be loaded with paclitaxel (PTX) and gemcitabine (GEM) by dialysis. Infrared spectroscopy and 1H-NMR indicated the successful synthesis of HA-ANI. Three different ratios of NPs were prepared by adjusting the ratios of hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials, and the particle size decreased as the ratio of hydrophilic materials increased. When HA:ANI = 2.0:1, the nanoparticles had the smallest size distribution, good stability and near spherical shape and had high drug loading and encapsulation rates. In vitro release experiments revealed that NADPH could accelerate the drug release from NPs. Cellular uptake rate reached 86.50% at 6 h. The toxic effect of dual drug-loaded nanoparticles (P/G NPs) on MDA-MB-231 cells at 48 h was stronger than that of the free drug. The AO/EB double-staining assay revealed that a large number of late apoptotic cells appeared in the P/G NPs group, and the degree of cell damage was significantly stronger than that of the free drug group. In the cell migration assay, the 24 h-cell migration rate of the P/G NPs group was 5.99%, which was much lower than that of the free group (13.87% and 17.00%). In conclusion, MDA-MB-231 cells could effectively take up P/G NPs, while the introduction of the nano-codelivery system could significantly enhance the toxicity of the drug to MDA-MB-231 cells as well as the migration inhibition effect.

A Mixed Modified Layer Formed In Situ to Protect and Guide Lithium Plating/Stripping Behavior.

Uncontrolled lithium (Li) plating/stripping is one of the most fatal problems of lithium metal batteries (LMBs). Herein, we modified a copper (Cu) foil current collector surface with an indium nitride (InN) thin film, which regulated the Li plating/stripping process through in situ lithiation. That is, InN transformed into a lithium nitride (Li3N)/Li-In alloy phase (LixIny)-mixed protection layer during the first Li plating process. Li3N is an efficient Li+ conductor and is stable to Li, whereas LixIny possesses fast Li+ diffusion kinetics. The synergistic effect of these two species simultaneously caused the mixed protective layer to display fast Li+ diffusion, inhibited the rapid growth of Li dendrites, and induced bottom Li deposition under the protective layer. Li∥Cu cells exhibited higher Coulombic efficiency and a more stable lithium plating/stripping process than a control cell without an InN layer. Moreover, when an InN thin film was transplanted onto the surface of a Li metal sheet using the same method, the resulting Li∥Li symmetrical cell delivered extraordinary performance. This in situ formation of a multifunctional modified layer by a facile preparation process could be an effective way to inhibit dendrite growth and accelerate the application of LMBs.