• Energy Research

AbstractEfforts to enable fast charging and high energy density lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) are hampered by the trade‐off nature of the traditional electrode design: increasing the areal capacity usually comes with sacrificing the fast charge transfer. Here a single‐layer chunky particle electrode design is reported, where red‐phosphorus active material is embedded in nanochannels of vertically aligned graphene (red‐P/VAG) assemblies. Such an electrode design addresses the sluggish charge transfer stemming from the high tortuosity and inner particle/electrode resistance of traditional electrode architectures consisting of randomly stacked active particles. The vertical ion‐transport nanochannels and electron‐transfer conductive nanowalls of graphene confine the direction of charge transfer to minimize the transfer distance, and the incomplete filling of nanochannels in the red‐P/VAG composite buffers volume change locally, thus avoiding the variation of electrodes thickness during cycling. The single‐layer chunky particle electrode displays a high areal capacity (5.6 mAh cm−2), which is the highest among the reported fast‐charging battery chemistries. Paired with a high‐loading LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NCM622) cathode, a pouch cell shows stable cycling with high energy and power densities. Such a single‐layer chunky particle electrode design can be extended to other advanced battery systems and boost the development of LIBs with fast‐charging capability and high energy density.

AbstractEfforts to enable fast charging and high energy density lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) are hampered by the trade‐off nature of the traditional electrode design: increasing the areal capacity usually comes with sacrificing the fast charge transfer. Here a single‐layer chunky particle electrode design is reported, where red‐phosphorus active material is embedded in nanochannels of vertically aligned graphene (red‐P/VAG) assemblies. Such an electrode design addresses the sluggish charge transfer stemming from the high tortuosity and inner particle/electrode resistance of traditional electrode architectures consisting of randomly stacked active particles. The vertical ion‐transport nanochannels and electron‐transfer conductive nanowalls of graphene confine the direction of charge transfer to minimize the transfer distance, and the incomplete filling of nanochannels in the red‐P/VAG composite buffers volume change locally, thus avoiding the variation of electrodes thickness during cycling. The single‐layer chunky particle electrode displays a high areal capacity (5.6 mAh cm−2), which is the highest among the reported fast‐charging battery chemistries. Paired with a high‐loading LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NCM622) cathode, a pouch cell shows stable cycling with high energy and power densities. Such a single‐layer chunky particle electrode design can be extended to other advanced battery systems and boost the development of LIBs with fast‐charging capability and high energy density.

A flexible high-performance lithium–CO2 battery is developed using wood-based cathode as a novel platform for combining CO2 utilization and energy storage.

A flexible high-performance lithium–CO2 battery is developed using wood-based cathode as a novel platform for combining CO2 utilization and energy storage.

Ultrafine Ru nanoparticles anchored on freestanding activated carbon nanofibers with porous structure are synthesized as a high performing cathode for Li–CO2 batteries via a transient, in situ thermal shock method.

Ultrafine Ru nanoparticles anchored on freestanding activated carbon nanofibers with porous structure are synthesized as a high performing cathode for Li–CO2 batteries via a transient, in situ thermal shock method.

Microplastic remediation in aquatic bodies is essential for the entire ecosystem, but is challenging to achieve with a universal and efficient strategy. Here, we developed a sustainable and environmentally adaptable adsorbent through supramolecular self-assembly of chitin and cellulose. This biomass fibrous framework (Ct-Cel) showcases an excellent adsorption performance for polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate. The affinity for diverse microplastics is attributed to the transformation of multiple intermolecular interactions between different microplastics and Ct-Cel. Meanwhile, the strong resistance of Ct-Cel to multiple pollutants in water enables an enhanced adsorption when coexisting with microorganisms and Pb 2+ . Moreover, Ct-Cel can remove 98.0 to 99.9% of microplastics in four types of real water and maintains a high removal efficiency of up to 95.1 to 98.1% after five adsorption cycles. This work may open up prospects for functional biomass materials for cost-efficient remediation of microplastics in complex aquatic environments.

Microplastic remediation in aquatic bodies is essential for the entire ecosystem, but is challenging to achieve with a universal and efficient strategy. Here, we developed a sustainable and environmentally adaptable adsorbent through supramolecular self-assembly of chitin and cellulose. This biomass fibrous framework (Ct-Cel) showcases an excellent adsorption performance for polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate. The affinity for diverse microplastics is attributed to the transformation of multiple intermolecular interactions between different microplastics and Ct-Cel. Meanwhile, the strong resistance of Ct-Cel to multiple pollutants in water enables an enhanced adsorption when coexisting with microorganisms and Pb 2+ . Moreover, Ct-Cel can remove 98.0 to 99.9% of microplastics in four types of real water and maintains a high removal efficiency of up to 95.1 to 98.1% after five adsorption cycles. This work may open up prospects for functional biomass materials for cost-efficient remediation of microplastics in complex aquatic environments.