Rare Metals最新文献

Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, boasting significant advantages in cost-effectiveness, safety, and longevity, are extensively utilized as the core components for electric vehicles. However, with the increasing end-of-life of LFP batteries, the recycling of these spent batteries has become a crucial and urgent matter. Given the relatively short process and high-value-added recycled products, the direct regeneration of cathode materials from spent LFP batteries has become a highly preferred approach. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the research status and technical challenges of direct regeneration technologies (i.e., solid-phase sintering, hydrothermal repair and electrochemical repair technology) applicable to spent LFP cathode materials. The failure mechanisms of LFP, as well as the detailed processes and recent advancements in recycling pretreatment are elaborated and summarized. Additionally, this paper extends to introduce the research advancements in innovative upgrading regeneration of cathode materials. Finally, a comparative analysis of the three direct regeneration strategies is conducted, emphasizing their respective advantages, limitations, and target application fields. It is anticipated to establish a comprehensive reference framework for the efficient regeneration and reuse of cathode materials from spent LFP batteries, thus promoting the green and sustainable development of the new energy vehicle industry.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has disturbed global public health for many years. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by photocatalysis was considered as an effective substance which can directly destroy cell structures and DNA of bacterial. In this work, Ag cluster decorated BiO_2-x (Ag-BiO_2-x) Ohmic-junction with strong built-in electric field was fabricated by photo-deposition strategy for efficient photocatalytic sterilization. The interfacial reaction-generated electric field in an Ag-BiO_2-x Ohmic-junction facilitates the transport and separation of photoelectron from BiO_2-x to Ag. The local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of Ag clusters can boost the composite’s light absorption while preventing photogenerated carriers from recombining. Simultaneously, Ag clusters can act as a cocatalyst, with an optimal oxygen-adsorption energy, promoting highly efficient molecular oxygen activation. As we expected, Ag-BiO_2-x Ohmic-junction displayed enhanced E. coli inactivation activity with 2 h under visible light irradiation. The EPR measurement and DFT calculation confirmed that the Ag clusters worked as ROS generation sites and provoked the generation of ·O₂⁻ and ·OH. This study provides an atomic insight on design Ohmic-junction photocatalyst for photocatalytic antibacterial.

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The rapid advancement of electronic devices and wireless communication has heightened the demand for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials to ensure electromagnetic compatibility. Transition metal carbides/nitrides (MXenes) have emerged as promising candidates due to their outstanding electrical conductivity, large specific surface area, rich surface functionalities, and exceptional mechanical properties. These attributes make MXenes particularly advantageous when assembled into lightweight, three-dimensional (3D) porous aerogels that deliver exceptional EMI shielding performance. This review systematically discusses the fundamental mechanisms of EMI shielding, emphasizing critical influencing factors and key evaluation parameters. Recent advances in MXene-based aerogels for EMI shielding are summarized, highlighting effective component and structural design strategies. Additionally, the review explores the synergistic relationships between compositional adjustments and structural modulation in MXene-based aerogels, systematically evaluating their impact on EMI shielding performance. Finally, current challenges and future development prospects of MXene-based aerogels for EMI shielding applications are critically addressed, proposing research directions towards next-generation lightweight and high-performance shielding materials.

Achieving devices that combine high energy density with exceptional rate capability remains a challenge in energy storage. In this study, we engineer a Sb/MXene interface with highly dispersed amorphous Sb atomic clusters (ACs) on MXene surfaces (Sb_ACs/MXene). The strong interfacial interactions lead to charge redistribution, enhancing state densities at the Fermi level and increasing Li absorption energy. Moreover, the targeted material demonstrates high electrical conductivity, abundant electrochemical active sites, ultra-low charge transfer resistance and rapid reaction kinetics. As a result, when used as an anode for lithium-ion batteries, the optimized Sb_ACs/MXene electrode exhibits an excellent reversible capacity of 559.2 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1 A g⁻¹ after 100 cycles, as well as the high-rate property and cycling stability (186.3 mAh g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹ after 1000 cycles), which is almost twice higher than that of pure MXene electrode. Furthermore, it is determined that the amorphous Sb ACs undergo asymmetrical multistep reactions involving (de)alloying and conversion, further affirming the fast and stable performance of lithium storage.

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Traditional TiO₂ gas sensing materials face limitations such as difficult energy band adjustment and high operating temperatures. Titanium-oxo clusters (TOCs), molecular analogs of TiO₂, have shown promise in various applications but remain underexplored in practical applications of gas sensors. This study synthesized two classical TOCs, Ti₄O₂(OⁱPr)₁₀(1-Nap)₂ (Ti₄) and [Ti₈O₈(OMc)₁₆]·2CH₃CN (Ti₈), via solvothermal methods and evaluated their performances in detecting triethylamine (TEA) gas in the air for the first time. The Ti₄ and Ti₈ sensors exhibited high response values of 7.80 and 5.47, respectively, to 100 ppm TEA at optimal operating temperatures of 80 and 50 °C, with excellent selectivity. Response/recovery times were 25/91 s for Ti₄ and 137/230 s for Ti₈. Both sensors demonstrated good repeatability and long-term stability. The Ti₈ sensor, with its lower operating temperature and superior linear fitting, was used to monitor carp fish freshness, showcasing its practical application potential. Finally, the sensing mechanism is analyzed. This study pioneers the use of TOCs for TEA detection and food freshness monitoring, offering new avenues for chemiresistive gas sensors.

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Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) has emerged as a promising technology for hydrogen production, offering high efficiency, superior hydrogen purity, and a compact system design. However, its widespread adoption is hindered by the harsh acidic environment and the intrinsically slow kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode. Addressing these challenges requires the development of robust, acid-resistant anode catalysts. Among various candidates, iridium-based catalysts (IBCs) have attracted significant attention owing to their exceptional catalytic activity and stability under acidic conditions. Nevertheless, the high cost and limited availability of Ir impede their large-scale application. To mitigate these issues, extensive research has been devoted to strategies that reduce Ir loading while enhancing catalytic performance. This review provides a comprehensive and systematic overview of recent advances in the rational design of IBCs, focusing on strategies such as multi-scale morphology control, heteroatom doping, alloying, defect engineering, heterostructure construction, and support interactions.

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Both surface oxygen vacancies and interfacial chemical bonds in heterojunction engineering are regarded as promising approaches to efficient photo-carrier utilization, yet the possible synergy underneath is still ambiguous in photocatalytic overall water splitting. Herein, boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) were adhered to the GaZnON surface via a facile one-pot nitridation process, achieving a 3.2 times enhancement in overall water splitting. The excellent photocatalytic performance could be ascribed to the greatly reduced detrimental carrier recombination by the strengthened synergistic interaction by the interfacial Zn–O–B bond and surface oxygen vacancies in GaZnON, in which the transfer of photogenerated electrons from the electronic localization region induced by oxygen vacancies in GaZnON to BNNS along the specific electron transfer channel of the interfacial Zn–O–B bond is facilitated. Moreover, surface oxygen vacancies that adsorbed water and accelerated water dissociation to activate H–OH optimized the reaction pathway. This work thoroughly elaborates on the synergetic effect of interfacial chemical bonds and surface oxygen vacancies in BNNS/GaZnON heterojunction, highlighting the importance of modulating carrier dynamics in photocatalytic overall water splitting.

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