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Photo-assisted lithium sulfur batteries (PA-LSBs) provide vital and sustainable protocols for promoting sulfur redox reactions via powerful photoinduced effects. However, precise control of the stepwise adsorption, diffusion and photocatalytic conversion of polysulfides at the surface of photocatalysts is required to accelerate the photo-assisted process. Herein, optical field and built-in electric field synergistically-assisted LSBs are developed with a p-n junction of Co₃O₄-TiO₂ on the carbon cloth, possessing a spontaneously generated built-in electric field and a well-matched energy band structure with sulfur redox reactions. Under light irradiation, the directional migration of soluble polysulfides and the space separation of photogenerated carriers are achieved with the synergistical coupling of the optical field and built-in electric field to precisely regulate the selective deposition of Li₂S and inhibit the shuttle effect via an effective photocatalytic-promoted process, leading to a maximum capacity of 1087 mAh g⁻¹ at 2 C and a low capacity attenuation of 0.068% per cycle at 5 C. A high areal capacity of 9.6 mAh cm⁻² and a great potential photo-charge process can be realized with light irradiation. Furthermore, the stability of lithium metal anodes is improved accordingly. This work demonstrates a new insight to develop high-performance LSBs with a multifield synergistical coupling protocol.

Flexible composite polymer electrolytes with high ionic conductivity, high voltage, and small thickness are critical for achieving scalable fabrication of high-energy-density solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs). Owing to the intrinsically lower density (2.5–3.0 g cm⁻³) than that of oxides (>4.0 g cm⁻³), high ionic conductivity (∼10⁻³ S cm⁻¹), high modulus, and high voltage, halides can be used as effective functional Li-ion-conductive fillers to construct thin, lightweight, and high-performance composite polymer electrolytes while achieving high-energy-density of SSLMBs. Nevertheless, the chemical vulnerability of halide solid electrolyte materials to common polar solvents restricts the scalable slurry-casting fabrication of halide-based composite polymer electrolytes for practical SSLMBs. To this end, a bi-functional low-polarity solvent, dimethyl carbonate, is screened to render halides, which are usually slurry-incompatible, amenable to scalable slurry fabrication. As a result, an ultrathin (10 µm) and flexible halide-incorporated composite electrolyte with a high electrochemical window up to 4.8 V vs. Li⁺/Li, high thermal stability, and desirable self-extinguishing ability is developed. Benefiting from the multiple Li-ion transport mechanisms enabled by the interaction between fillers, salts, and polymers, the obtained composite polymer electrolyte can achieve a high ionic conductivity of 0.325 mS cm^–1 at 25 °C. The assembled solid-state Li|LiFePO₄ cell based on the halide-based composite electrolyte achieves a high capacity of 153 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2 C with a capacity retention of 98% after 175 cycles, and the Li|LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ cell can stably cycle at a cut-off voltage of 4.3 V and achieve a high capacity of 160 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2 C with a capacity retention of 89% after 170 cycles. This work provides an effective strategy for large-scale manufacturing of ultrathin and flexible halide-based composite electrolytes for high-performance SSLMBs.

Lithium–oxygen (Li–O₂) batteries with ultra-high theoretical specific energy (3500 Wh kg⁻¹) have attracted significant attention, but the sluggish electrochemical processes of discharge product Li₂O₂ lead to poor cycling stability. Redox mediators (RMs) as soluble catalysts are widely used to assist with the electrochemical formation/decomposition of Li₂O₂. However, the shuttle effect of RMs causes severe deterioration of both RMs and Li metal anodes. Herein, for the first time we synthesize a lithiated zeolite-based protective layer on Li anodes to mitigate the shuttle effect of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxy (TEMPO) in Li–O₂ batteries. The protective layer successfully blocks the migration of TEMPO toward the Li anode owing to the angstrom-level aperture size of lithiated zeolite. Due to the excellent redox-mediator-sieving capability of the protective layer, the cycle life of the Li−O₂ batteries is significantly prolonged more than ten times at a current density of 250 mA g⁻¹ and a limited capacity of 500 mA h g⁻¹. This work demonstrates that the lithiated zeolite-based protective layer capable of molecular sieving is a facile and scalable way to mitigate the shuttle effect of RMs in Li–O₂ batteries.

The aim of this study is to perform the thermal analysis of an existing building by a software, hence determine the possible improvements and energy savings. In this context, the existing model and two different improved models of a building are compared. The 1st case covers the existing situation of the building while the 2nd and 3rd cases are related to two improved cases for the building. The improvements are focused on heat insulation, infiltration and lighting system of the building. The results point out that 2nd and 3rd cases provide a reduction in electricity consumption by 15% compared to the 1st case. Similarly, annual natural gas consumption is decreased about by 76% and 90% in 2nd and 3rd cases, respectively in comparison with the 1st case. The total energy consumption by electricity and natural gas per unit area for 1st, 2nd and 3rd cases is also determined as 55.7, 35.7 and 33.1 kWh/m², respectively. Moreover, annual CO₂ emission is ensured to reduce nearly by 23% in both 2nd and 3rd cases compared to 1st situation.

Ammonia (NH₃) is an ideal green fuel with high energy density and plays an indispensable role in fertilizer production. Electrochemical reduction of nitrate (NO₃^–), a toxic pollutant in groundwater, has shown promising as a viable approach to converting waste into valuable NH₃ under ambient conditions, offering an alternative to the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. Due to their high efficiency, copper (Cu)-based materials have shown great potential as electrocatalysts for the NO₃^– reduction reaction (NO₃^–RR) to NH₃. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the fundamental principles underlying nitrate reduction over Cu-based electrocatalysts and discuss various strategies to enhance the performance of NO₃^– reduction, including facets, morphologies, size, surface functionalization, compositional engineering, and defect engineering. We also delve into the relationship between the electrocatalytic performance and structure characteristics of electrocatalysts and thoroughly examine the reaction mechanism involved in NO₃^–RR. Furthermore, we highlight the existing challenges and prospective paths forward in this area of study. This review offers valuable insights and guidance for the strategic design and optimization of Cu-based electrocatalysts for NO₃^–RR applications.

Along with the battery charge/discharge processes, the migration of the Li ions inevitably leads to an inhomogeneous distribution of the battery internal electrochemical and thermal characteristics, deteriorating the battery capacity and safety. In this work, the internal characteristics of a 20 Ah pouch LiFePO₄ lithium-ion battery have been investigated based on a 3D electrochemical-thermal coupled model. It is found that the reduction of the particle size for either the cathode or anode would increase the battery capacity. Moreover, with the modulation of the thickness of cathode (L_pos) and convective heat transfer coefficient (h), the homogeneity of solid lithium concentration and temperature has been optimized. A relatively smaller L_pos and an h higher than the critical value should be adopted. From the aspect of thermal distribution, as the discharge rate increases, the irreversible reaction heat always dominates, while the proportion of ohmic heat among the total heat increases, and the high temperature region always locates on the inner sides of the tabs. The methodology proposed in this work could be applied to pouch batteries with more repeated cell units and larger sizes.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are a promising solution for large-scale energy storage due to their safety and cost-effectiveness. However, challenges like zinc dendrite growth and electrolyte corrosion hinder their practical use. Surface engineering methods have shown potential in stabilizing the zinc metal anode interface. In this study, we propose a successful approach by combining 2D g-C₃N₄ nanosheets with 3D ZIF8 nanoparticles to form a g-C₃N₄@ZIF8 artificial interface. The 3D ZIF8 support on the 2D g-C₃N₄ enables precise regulation of Zn²⁺ flux and efficient charge transfer, leading to improved electrochemical performance. Density functional theory confirms ZIF8's superior adsorption energy compared to g-C₃N₄. Strategically anchoring 3D ZIF8 nanoparticles within 2D g-C₃N₄ allows robust 3D diffusion of Zn²⁺, preventing dendrite formation and enabling dendrite-free Zn deposition. This structural design can enhance the performance of symmetric cells with an ultralong cycling lifespan of up to 6200 h at 0.25 mA cm⁻²/0.25 mA h cm⁻² and superior rate capability, even at 40 mA cm⁻². When combined with a V₂O₅ nanopaper cathode, our assembled AZIBs exhibit stable long-term performance. This research paves the way for more efficient and reliable AZIBs for large-scale energy storage.

Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries (ARFB) are the most prominent technology for large-scale energy storage applications. The energy density of the ARFBs is mainly determined by the electrolyte components, which highly influence the flow battery performance. In the present work, we acutely investigated the various electrolyte compositions and optimized the best electrolyte for realizing the high performance of Zn-Br₂ ARFBs. The electrode kinetics, such as rate constant, exchange current density, conductivity, and diffusion coefficient, were analyzed using electrochemical techniques, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance analysis. It was observed that zinc bromide (ZnBr₂) + perchloric acid (HClO₄) + 1-Ethyl-1-methylmorpholinium bromide (MEM) + N-ethyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bromide (MEP) and ZnBr₂ + zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) + MEM + MEP electrolytes showed improved performance, where the redox kinetics of 2Br^-/Br₂ redox couple is greatly enhanced. The presence of perchloric acid unlocks the capacity of full electro-oxidation of bromide (Br^-) to bromine (Br₂) as it involves 1e^- per Br^-, which would be highly beneficial to attain high energy density. Further, Zn-Br₂ RFB adopted with optimized electrolyte formulation ZnBr₂ + HClO₄ + MEM+ MEP shows a better round-trip efficiency and displays a stable long cycling performance over 200 cycles with an energy (EE) and coulombic efficiency (CE) of > 68% and > 92%, respectively.

It is imperative that a sustainable approach to the recycling of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs)—in particular the spent NMC cathodes—which reach their end-of-life (EOL) is realized as 11 million metric tonnes are expected to reach EOL by 2030. The current recycling processes based on pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy are not fully sustainable options as they recover only the value metals. By contrast direct recycling that aims in regenerating EOL LIB cathodes without breaking down the active compound’s crystal structure offers the most sustainable option. In this paper the direct recycling of NMC cathodes is investigated in combination with their upcycling. Upcycling is going to be in growing demand since the first generation NMC 111 cathode chemistries evolve to higher energy/nickel-rich formulations. In this work, the baseline is established for direct recycling of low and high nickel NMC cathodes by analyzing the three key steps of chemical delithiation of pristine NMC cathode material, hydrothermal relithiation (4M LiOH for 4 h at 220 °C), and annealing (4 h at 850 °C) in order to set the ground for investigating the upcycling of NMC 111 to NMC 622. Upcycling is affected via the co-addition of pre-calculated excess NiSO₄ and Li₂CO₃ salts during annealing, following the hydrothermal relithiation step. Use of NiSO₄ that is commonly used as p-CAM provides a lower cost alternative to Ni(OH)₂ as Ni source. Characterization revealed the upcycled material to have been endowed with the typical α-NaFeO₂ layered structure and have surface morphology and composition similar to pristine NMC material. The upcycled NMC 622 cathode yielded good cycling stability (91.5% retention after 100 cycles) and >99% Coulombic efficiency albeit with certain polarization loss justifying further optimization studies.