Journal of Colloid and Interface Science最新文献

Directly integrating solar energy into zinc-air batteries (ZABs) systems represents an eco-friendly, efficient and low-cost strategy, yet the rational design of photo-enhanced ZABs for high-performance solar energy utilization continues to pose a significant scientific challenge. Herein, the FeNC-C₃N₄ photo-electrocatalyst with Schottky heterojunction is fabricated through a facile "ball-milling and spray-coating" approach, which effectively integrates FeNC with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄). Among them, g-C₃N₄ functions as a photoactive catalytic material, whereas FeNC serves as an efficient electroactive layer that promotes interfacial electron transfer from g-C₃N₄ under illumination, thereby improving the spatial separation of photogenerated carriers and extending their lifetime. Remarkably, in comparison with FeNC-based ZABs (370.53 mWcm^-2 and 228 h), FeNC-C₃N₄-based ZABs demonstrate a record-high power density of 540.58 mW cm^-2 under illumination, along with stable charge-discharge cycling over 1028 h at 10 mA cm^-2, representing the highest performance reported to date for photo-enhanced ZABs (PZABs). More importantly, when operated at 10 mA cm^-2 under illumination, the g-C₃N₄-modified FeNC-C₃N₄-based PZABs achieve a significantly reduced charging voltage of ∼1.94 V, in stark contrast to the conventional FeNC-based ZABs (∼2.09 V), corresponding to a notable voltage reduction of ∼0.15 V. This work offers a straightforward strategy for developing photo-enhanced ZABs that efficiently harness solar energy to reduce the charging voltage of conventional ZABs.

Polymer dielectrics have attracted substantial attention for their extensive applications in advanced electronic power systems. However, their practical implementation is substantially hindered by the drastic deterioration in breakdown strength and energy storage capabilities at elevated temperatures. Herein, corrugated alumina (Al₂O₃) nanosheets anchored with uniformly dispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are fabricated via a sequential bimetallic ion exchange method using polyimide (PI) film as the sacrificing template. The AgNPs and Al₂O₃ nanosheets (AONSs) are in-situ formed on the molecular chain of PI in one step, which not only avoids the aggregation of AgNPs but also ensures the high purity of the AgNPs@AONSs. Benefiting from the excellent high-temperature insulating properties of Al₂O₃ and the Coulomb blockade effect of AgNPs, when the AgNPs@AONSs are incorporated into polymer dielectrics, they can act as powerful charge transport buffer strips and improve the breakdown strength. The polyetherimide film filled with merely 0.1 wt% AgNPs@AONSs shows ultra-high energy densities of 10.22 J cm^-3 at 150 °C with 90 % efficiency and 7.49 J cm^-3 at 200 °C with 80 % efficiency, which are 542 % and 226 % that of the pristine polyetherimide, respectively. The excellent high-temperature performances of the composite films make them promising candidates for high-temperature pulsed power systems.

Aqueous batteries have become a prospective future energy storage system because of their low coefficient of cost and stability. However, their lower energy density limits their applications. Ammonium ions (NH₄⁺) have a small hydration radius and light molar mass, and aqueous ammonium ion batteries (AAIBs) are anticipated for solving the inherent low-energy density problem of aqueous batteries. Exploring highly performing storage materials for aqueous ammonium ion batteries continues to be a research hotspot in recent years. Here, we propose a strategy to regulate the tunneling vanadium oxide' structure (VOM) based on the electron-mediated orbital-energy level synergistic strategy of the high-spin 3d transition metal (Mn) to assist AAIBs to achieve high energy density. The VOM has a capacity of up to 270 mAh g^-1 at a current density of 0.2 A g^-1, and the battery system containing poly(ammonium benzene) (PANI) (named VOM//PANI) has an energy density of up to 63.5 Wh kg^-1. At the same time, we demonstrate the chemical energy storage mechanism of hydrogen bonding and the kinetics of interfacial chemical reactions in VOM based on a series of ex-situ or in-situ tests. Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations and experiments demonstrate that the introduction of high-spin transition metals can directionally regulate and optimize the electronic structure of V, which helps to achieve efficient NH₄⁺ storage. This work offers novel concepts for the advancement of high-performance AAIBs as energy storage materials, as well as new strategies for the future large-scale grid-level applications of AAIBs.

Recently, MXene-conducting polymer hybrids have emerged as promising electrode materials for sustainable energy storage applications, owing to their impressive electrochemical properties. Herein, we report the synthesis of vanadium carbide MXene nanoparticles (V₂CT_x-MXene) using innovative Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technology followed by exfoliation steps. The V₂CT_x nanoparticles were incorporated with PANI (MXene-PANI) by electrochemical polymerization of aniline monomers in the presence of V₂CT_x nanolayers, to be used as a highly efficient material for charge storage application. PANI nanofibers form a conductive and porous architecture, which intercalates the V₂CT_x nanoflakes. The resulting structure increases the interlayer spacing of V₂CT_x sheets, which provides a larger accessible surface area, facilitates ion transport capability, and enhances the diffusion coefficient within the composite electrode. Benefiting from the strong interaction between V₂CT_x and PANI, high electrical conductivity, and improved surface hydrophilicity, the MXene-PANI nanocomposite presented an excellent specific capacitance of 677.21 F/g, surpassing pristine PANI with 397.71 F/g. Furthermore, the MXene-PANI exhibited remarkable capacitance retention of 91.4 % after 10,000 GCD cycles. The impressive electrochemical performance of the composite electrode can also be attributed to the pseudocapacitive performance (redox behavior) of V₂CT_x nanoparticles. The resulting synergy in the V₂CTₓ MXene-PANI heterojunction significantly enhances the physicochemical properties of the hybrid, which, combined with its outstanding electrochemical performance, makes it a promising material for charge storage in supercapacitors and beyond.

Li/CF_x primary batteries are renowned for their exceptional energy density, yet their practical deployment is hindered by the inherently sluggish kinetics of the CF_x cathode. This study addresses this limitation by incorporating selenium (Se) into CF_x (denoted as CF_x/Se) via a facile low-temperature thermal treatment, significantly enhancing its electrochemical performance. Comprehensive spectroscopic and electrochemical analyses reveal that Se doping induces the formation of CSe bonds, which promote semi-ionic CF bonding, thereby accelerating Li⁺ diffusion and reducing charge transfer resistance. Density functional theory calculations further demonstrate that Se doping modulates the electronic structure of CF_x, narrowing its bandgap to establish an efficient conductive network and markedly improving electronic conductivity. The optimized CF_x/Se-1 composite (Se:CF_x = 1:9) delivers outstanding performance, achieving a discharge capacity of 383.9 mAh g^-1 at a high current density of 20 A g^-1 with an energy density of 765.7 Wh kg^-1 and a power density of 3.99 × 10⁴ W kg^-1. Moreover, CF_x/Se-1 exhibits remarkable wide-temperature operability (-35 to 60 °C), retaining a capacity of 485.3 mAh g^-1 at 0.5 A g^-1 with a stable 2.0 V plateau even at -35 °C. This work underscores the pivotal role of Se doping in tailoring the band structure of CF_x, unlocking its potential for high-power and extreme-temperature Li/CF_x batteries.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) offer great promise for next-generation high-energy density storage devices, yet their practical applications seriously hindered by dendritic lithium growth and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). To address these challenges, herein, we present a novel lithiophilic nickel boride embedded hollow carbon nanorods (NiB@HCR) as multifunctional interlayer for LMBs. The uniform distribution of lithiophilic NiB@HCR creates plentiful chemisorption sites, enabling efficient Li⁺ flux regulation and uniform deposition. It also facilitates the in-situ formation of stable LiF-rich SEI layer, which effectively suppressing dendrite growth. The lithiophilic feature and strengthened physical barrier can also enhance the electrolyte wettability and mechanical/thermal stability. Benefiting from these merits, the cells with NiB@HCR interlayers deliver outstanding electrochemical performances: the Li//Li cell delivers outstanding stability at 1 mA cm^-2 with 1 mAh cm^-2 over 1000 h; the Li//LiFePO₄ cell with a 11 mg cm^-2 delivers a high reversible capacity of 111.7 mAh g^-1 at 1C over 200 cycles. This work contributes to providing new insight into the deliberate design, facile fabrication, and performance enhancement mechanisms of lithiophilic boride-based multifunctional interlayer for dendrite-free and stable LMBs.

High-performance yet recyclable piezo-photocatalysts are highly desired for sustainable energy conversion and environmental remediation but remain constrained by rapid charge recombination and difficult catalyst recovery. Here we embed a dual-piezoelectric MoSe₂/BaTiO₃ (MSe/BT) heterojunction into a porous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane via a freeze-phase-inversion route to construct a hierarchical MoSe₂/BaTiO₃/PVDF (MSe/BT/PVDF) composite. Finite-element simulation and piezoresponse force microscopy reveal that the heterojunction generates a strong interfacial piezoelectric field, while the PVDF matrix undergoes dipole self-polarization, jointly delivering a high longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient (d₃₃ ≈ -114.6 pC N^-1) and accelerating charge separation. Under simultaneous light irradiation and ultrasound, the membrane achieves (i) a hydrogen-evolution rate of 1220.6 μmol h^-1 g^-1 (1.5 × that of MSe/BT powder), (ii) rapid Rhodamine-B degradation with a first-order constant of 0.315 min^-1, and (iii) efficient H₂O₂ production of 6.64 μM min^-1. Electron-spin-resonance and scavenger tests confirm that abundant superoxide (•O₂^-) and hydroxyl (•OH) radicals are produced during piezo-photocatalysis. This multi-scale piezoelectric synergy within a flexible membrane offers a promising approach toward developing recyclable piezo-photocatalysts for green energy and environmental applications.

Bismuth sulfide (Bi₂S₃), known for its high capacity, has been considered a promising anode material for high-performance sodium/potassium-ion batteries (SIBs/PIBs). However, the practical application of Bi₂S₃ is limited by its poor intrinsic electrical conductivity, significant volume fluctuations and sluggish reaction kinetics. The synergistic strategy of confinement engineering and heteroatom doping can effectively address these issues. Herein, a composite material of selenium-substituted Bi₂S₃ (BiSSe) embedded in selenium-substituted sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SSePAN) is successfully synthesized (denoted as BiSSe-SSePAN). The incorporation of selenium significantly enhances the electrical conductivity of the material and accelerates the redox conversion of sulfur. Moreover, the confinement effect of the SSePAN matrix effectively prevents the agglomeration of BiSSe nanoparticles and mitigates volume variations. The BiSSe-SSePAN anode demonstrates outstanding sodium/potassium storage performance, achieving a high reversible capacity, superior rate capability, and prolonged cycle lifespan (e.g. 275 mAh g^-1/38000 cycles/15 A g^-1 in SIBs). Notably, BiSSe-SSePAN can operate stably over a wide temperature range (-15 °C to 50 °C). The assembled BiSSe-SSePAN//Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃ (NVP) full cell delivers a stable capacity of 375 mAh g^-1 over 500 cycles at 2 A g^-1. It is worth noting that the BiSSe-SSePAN//NVP pouch cell exhibits a high capacity of 146 mAh after 400 cycles at 0.1 A g^-1, confirming its potential for practical applications. This work provides an innovative insight into advancing the performance of metal sulfides in pouch cells and wide temperature workability.

Post-synthetic modification (PSM) offers a promising approach for tailoring the compositional, structural, and electronic properties of covalent organic frameworks (COFs), thereby enhancing their exciton dissociation ability and facilitating charge transfer. The effectiveness of these approaches is largely compromised by the harsh conditions, complexity, and alteration of the original structure. Therefore, developing a facile yet effective PSM for modulating COFs' properties without altering the original geometry and/or structure is a challenge. By introducing a phosphazene moiety, ca. hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (CP), as a donor scaffold, we fabricated a CP-modified triazine-based COF (TDCP COF) with a donor-acceptor (D-A) configuration, via a facile one-step PSM method, and used it for photocatalytic conversion of O₂ into H₂O₂. The resultant TDCP COF with D-A characteristic and substantial intramolecular dipole moment displays a facilitated exciton dissociation and charge transfer. The modified TDCP COF not only provides more favorable adsorption sites for O₂ molecules, but also manipulates the O₂ activation pathways through multiple mechanisms into •O₂^- and singlet oxygen (¹O₂). Benefiting from these features, the TDCP COF exhibited a three times higher H₂O₂ production rate compared to TD. This work sheds light on a facile yet effective PSM strategy for the development of highly efficient COFs applied for various applications, including photocatalysis, organic solar cells, drug delivery, and gas separation.