Carbon Neutralization最新文献

Two kinds of crystal orderings in layered oxides typically exhibit opposite influences on performances: Na⁺/vacancy ordering in alkali metal layers with an unfavorable effect on electrochemical performance and the cation ordering in transition metal layers with a positive effect on air stability. However, because the two kinds of orderings are associated with each other and often occur at the same time, it is difficult to achieve an excellent comprehensive performance. Herein, we propose a strategy of introducing a new cation ordering to construct the coexistence of Na⁺ disordering and transition metal ordering. An absolute solid-solution reaction mechanism is realized in the Na⁺ disordered system, resulting in a superior cycling stability of 90.4% retention after 150 cycles and a rate performance of 82.7 mAh g⁻¹ capacity at 10C, much higher than the original 81.3% and 66.4 mAh g⁻¹. Simultaneously, the cation ordering strengthens the interlayer interaction and inhibits the insertion of water molecules from the air, ensuring stable lattice stability and thermostability after air exposure. The synergy of dis-/ordering configuration provides new insights to design high-performance layered oxide cathode materials for secondary-ion batteries.

Ambient particulate matter (PM) has been identified as the fourth-ranking risk factor for mortality globally, and efficient ventilation filtration technologies are urgently needed. In most previous trials, however, high filtration efficiency was achieved either at a low face air velocity or at a large pressure drop cost. Here, nine coarse filters with in situ polydopamine (PDA) coatings were reported, which significantly improved the efficiency-pressure drop-energy consumption performance. By optimizing the filter substrate and synergistically modulating the electric fields, the artificial PDA coarse filter showed a high filtration efficiency of 96.9% for 0.3–0.5 μm particles, and a low pressure drop of 9.2 Pa at 1 m/s air velocity. At an extremely large air velocity of 4 m/s, the filtration efficiency remained as high as 94.3% for 1–3 μm particles. This work offers the engineering application opportunity for high-air-velocity filtration, paving the way to a safe, healthy, and energy-saving environment.

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) hold great promise for large-scale energy storage applications due to their low cost, intrinsic safety, and high theoretical capacity. However, the delivery of stable electrode–electrolyte interface becomes the main challenge for developing high-performance AZIBs with long cycle life and high capacity. On the cathode side, the dissolution of active materials, formation of byproducts, and unsatisfactory interfacial compatibility frequently occur. Meanwhile, the Zn metal anodes usually suffer from inevitable Zn dendrites and parasitic reactions. Both the electrode–electrolyte interface issues for the cathodes and anodes will finally result in poor electrochemistry reversibility and fast capacity decay. With this perspective, this review focuses on the key scientific issues occurred at the electrode interfaces, and also proposes corresponding interfacial optimization strategies, including surface modification and electrolyte optimization, aiming at providing guidelines for the design of high-performance AZIBs based on the understanding of interface improvement and practical application considerations.

MXene quantum dots (MQDs) sensor is a promising platform for identifying target analytes by sensing fluorescence, electrochemical signals, photoluminescence, biomedical, and so on. On the way to designing MQDs in the sensors, substantial progress has been made with basic scientific and technological hurdles remaining. Combining specific functional designs of MQDs with mechanistic understanding provides new research prospects and technology opportunities even at the industrial level. However, MQDs must be able to detect target analytes with higher sensitivity, robust stability, and applied compatibility. Here, we review the recent advances and challenges in the synthetic strategies and rational design of MQDs. By zooming in on several representative examples, we discuss the existing potentials of MQDs in the application of fluorescence, electrochemical luminescence, photoluminescence, colorimetric/fluorescent dual-mode, and biomedical sensors. Finally, we identify the opportunities and challenges to further understanding of MQDs sensors.

For pursuing the ambitious goals in the burgeoning electric vehicles, portable electronic devices, and energy storage sectors, Li-ion batteries (LIBs) are considered as one of the most promising electrochemical power sources because of their high energy density and moderate cost. Particularly, the improvement of battery materials and recycling of spent LIBs are receiving great attention since the sustainable approaches for the synthesis, modification, and recycling of battery materials are the crucial factors to the successful large-scale implementation of LIBs. In this regard, supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂), which possesses many merits, such as environmentally friendly, low-cost, individual chemical environment, and especially its unique physical properties, has been employed as solvent and reaction medium in the synthesis and modification of diverse functional materials. In this review, we mainly aim at compiling the applications of SC-CO₂ technology in the synthesis and modification of electrode materials as well as the recycling of LIBs. First, the unique properties and principles of SC-CO₂ technology are highlighted. Second, the latest progresses of the electrode materials design and recycling with the assistance of SC-CO₂ technique are summarized. Finally, the challenges, future directions, and perspectives on the design and development of battery materials and battery recycling by SC-CO₂ technology are proposed.

Owing to abundant resources and low cost, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are sweeping the world at a rapid pace. The cathode is the key to determining the energy density of the battery, and polyanionic compounds have become a representative class of cathode materials due to their stable three-dimensional framework structure, high operating voltage, and good safety. Vanadium-based and iron-based polyanionic compounds are highly regarded in academic communities, but environmental hazards or low energy densities have once overshadowed them in the practical arena. In contrast, manganese (Mn)-based polyanion is one of the potential candidates in terms of cost, voltage, and environmental friendliness, besides, many noteworthy advances have been recorded in recent years. This review summarizes the current research progress of Mn-based polyanions and discusses the challenges they face while looking forward to the future development of such materials and ideas to solve the key problems. It is expected to have a positive effect, that is, to attract more practitioners to focus on the practical way out of such materials.

Back cover image: In article number 10.1002/cnl2.43, Xian-Xiang Zeng and coworkers reviewed Zinc (Zn) enabled redox flow batteries (RFBs), which are characterized by high energy density and environmental friendliness. The use of zinc-based RFBs in large-scale energy storage can realize the efficient use of renewable energy such as solar, water and wind energy, promote the reduction of fossil energy use. It have great significance for promoting the goal of carbon neutrality.

COVID-19 is the greatest crucial universal health issue of the century and the extreme challenge that came after the 2nd World War faced by humankind. In 2019, different strains of the coronavirus have emerged drastically, that as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which is the causative agent of corona disease. As far as human civilization history, there have been occurrences of severe diseases and outbreaks of various viruses. According to World Health Organization reports, throughout the world, the present outbreak of COVID-19 has engulfed more than 200 countries affecting 241,471,559 individuals and more than 4,914,092 people lost their lives. SARS-CoV-2 outbreak is severely disturbing the worldwide economy at present. The urgent need of recent times is to understand the environmental aspect of COVID-19 disease. Hence to fulfill this point, the present review article is compiled with a brief discussion about all the minute points of the COVID-19 pandemic related to the environment: origin and present scenario, the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in environmental habitats, the effect of COVID-19 on human health, and environment, environmental factors influencing the transmission and spreading of SARS-CoV-2. This review explains micro and macro pollutants in hospital and urban wastewater influencing COVID-19, detection of SARS-CoV-2, current global drug strategies to control replication and spread of SARS-CoV-2 from the environment, future approaches, and guidelines to prevent and control upcoming pandemics. The SARS-CoV-2 structural details and their effect on humans have been already well presented but the research about environmental factors affecting COVID-19 could be important points to fight present and future pandemics.

Front cover image: In article number 10.1002/cnl2.41, Yuxin Tang and coworkers provide a short perspective on photo-integrated rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs)/zinc-ion capacitors (ZICs). Under light illumination, the integrated solar-charging modules can charge the ZIBs/ZICs, realizing direct solar energy conversion and storage. Such an integrated energy system demonstrates promising application potential in various fields such as large-scale energy storage, self-powered wearable electronics and internet of things.

Exploring economic and high-performance electrocatalysts to decrease the overpotential of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and facilitate its reaction kinetics is a frontier subject in line with green energy. Herein, metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived Co nanoparticles@N-doped carbon (Co NPs@N,C) is rationally designed on sandwich-like cobalt silicate/reduced graphene oxide (Co₂SiO₄/rGO) support to acquire Co NPs@N,C/Co₂SiO₄/rGO “double-triple-biscuit”-like structure as enhanced OER electrocatalysts. Co NPs@N,C on Co₂SiO₄/rGO support optimizes its geometric architecture and introduces new active sites. The “double-triple-biscuit”-like Co NPs@N,C/Co₂SiO₄/rGO structure achieves excellent OER ability compared with the existing materials based on transition metal silicates (TMSs). The overpotential of 278 mV is achieved at the current density of 10 mA cm⁻², and it is prominently higher than Co₂SiO₄/rGO support (390 mV). This excellent OER activity is rooted in its structural peculiarity, enabling efficient ion and electron transport. Co NPs@N,C are highly dispersed on the Co₂SiO₄/rGO support, increasing the active sites and avoiding self-aggregation of Co NPs in the OER process. This work combines the advantages of Co₂SiO₄/rGO support with the triple biscuits' structure and MOF to implement the preparation of boosted Co NPs@N,C/Co₂SiO₄/rGO, and it opens a new avenue for designing novel architectures to promote the OER activity of TMSs.