A series of hard–soft carbon composite materials is produced from biomass and oil waste and applied as low‐cost anodes for sodium‐ion batteries to study the fundamentals behind the dependence of Na ...storage on their structural features. A good reversible capacity of 282 mAh g−1 is obtained at a current density of 30 mA g−1 with a high initial Coulombic efficiency of 80% at a carbonization temperature of only 1000 °C by adjusting the ratio of hard to soft carbon. The performance is superior to the pure hard or soft carbon anodes produced at the same temperatures. This synergy between hard and soft carbon resulting in an excellent performance is due to the blockage of some open pores in hard carbon by the soft carbon, which suppresses the solid electrolyte interface formation and increases the reversible sodium storage capacity.
A series of hard–soft carbon composite materials is synthesized and it is found that at a low carbonization temperature of 1000 °C, it could show a synergistic effect due to the blockage of open pores. The correlations between structure and sodium storage performances and sodium storage mechanism are also investigated.
Sodium‐ion batteries as a prospective alternative to lithium‐ion batteries are facing the challenge of developing high‐performance, low‐cost and sustainable anode materials. Hard carbons are ...appropriate to store sodium ions, but major energy and environmental concerns during their fabrication process (i.e., high‐temperature carbonization) have not been properly assessed. Furthermore, the rational design of high‐performing hard carbon anodes is usually limited by the conventional direct carbonization of organic precursors. Here, the hydrothermal carbonization process is employed as a versatile pre‐treatment method of renewable precursors, followed by high‐temperature carbonization, for producing advanced hard carbon anodes. The critical role of hydrothermal pre‐treatment in regulating the structure for an optimized performance of hard carbon anodes is elucidated, while revealing the sodium‐ion storage mechanism using electrochemical kinetic calculations, advanced characterization and multi‐scale modeling. Furthermore, the environmental impacts of hydrothermal pre‐treatment and subsequent carbonization are evaluated using life cycle assessment compared to direct carbonization. By comparing hard carbon anodes with and without the hydrothermal pre‐treatment, it is verified that the additional hydrothermal process is responsible for enhanced electrochemical performance, increased carbon yields and reduced carbon emissions. The work provides a systematic understanding of functions and energy consumptions of hydrothermal systems to achieve next‐generation sustainable sodium‐ion batteries.
This work reports optimized hydrothermal carbonization as a versatile pre‐treatment method for renewable precursors to produce high‐performance, sustainable hard carbon anodes. Innovatively combining life cycle assessment with experimental characterization and theoretical modelling, this work presents clear evidence for the important role of hydrothermal carbonization in sustainable sodium‐ion batteries by quantifying both their enhanced performance and improved sustainability.
Heteroatom doping has been proved to effectively enhance the sloping capacity, nevertheless, the high sloping capacity almost encounters a conflict with the disappointing initial Coulombic efficiency ...(ICE). Herein, we propose a heteroatom configuration screening strategy by introducing a secondary carbonization process for the phosphate‐treated carbons to remove the irreversible heteroatom configurations but with the reversible ones and free radicals remaining, achieving a simultaneity between the high sloping capacity and ICE (≈250 mAh g−1 and 80 %). The Na storage mechanism was also studied based on this “slope‐dominated” carbon to reveal the reason for the absence of the plateau. This work could inspire to distinguish and filter the irreversible heteroatom configurations and facilitate the future design of practical “slope‐dominated” carbon anodes towards high‐power Na‐ion batteries.
Using a heteroatom configuration screening strategy upon P/O‐doping, irreversible configurations of C−O and PO3− were removed, while the configurations like C=O and PO43−/PO23− as well as the free radicals could be retained or even enhanced. The Na storage mechanisms were also studied using the resulting carbon. This work inspires the design and understanding of the “slope‐dominated” carbon anodes towards high‐power Na‐ion batteries.
Na‐ion hybrid capacitors consisting of battery‐type anodes and capacitor‐style cathodes are attracting increasing attention on account of the abundance of sodium‐based resources as well as the ...potential to bridge the gap between batteries (high energy) and supercapacitors (high power). Herein, hierarchically structured carbon materials inspired by multiscale building units of cellulose from nature are assembled with cellulose‐based gel electrolytes into Na‐ion capacitors. Nonporous hard carbon anodes are obtained through the direct thermal pyrolysis of cellulose nanocrystals. Nitrogen‐doped carbon cathodes with a coral‐like hierarchically porous architecture are prepared via hydrothermal carbonization and activation of cellulose microfibrils. The reversible charge capacity of the anode is 256.9 mAh g−1 when operating at 0.1 A g−1 from 0 to 1.5 V versus Na+/Na, and the discharge capacitance of cathodes tested within 1.5 to 4.2 V versus Na+/Na is 212.4 F g−1 at 0.1 A g−1. Utilizing Na+ and ClO4− as charge carriers, the energy density of the full Na‐ion capacitor with two asymmetric carbon electrodes can reach 181 Wh kg−1 at 250 W kg−1, which is one of the highest energy devices reported until now. Combined with macrocellulose‐based gel electrolytes, all‐cellulose‐based quasi‐solid‐state devices are demonstrated possessing additional advantages in terms of overall sustainability.
All‐cellulose‐based quasi‐solid‐state sodium‐ion hybrid capacitors are assembled based on hierarchically structured carbon materials inspired by multiscale building units of cellulose as well as cellulose‐based gel electrolytes. The kinetics of the electrochemical reactions inside the hybrid capacitors are studied to bridge the gap between batteries (high energy) and supercapacitors (high power).
Sodium metal batteries are attracting increasing attention on account of their high energy densities as well as the abundance of sodium-based resources. However, the uneven metallic deposition and ...dendrite formation during cycling hinder the application of sodium metal anodes. Carbon skeletons have been reported in the literature to mitigate the dendrite formation during the plating and stripping of metallic sodium. Still, the role played by different carbon structural features (
i.e.
, pores
vs.
defects) and relative mechanisms are not well understood, preventing the controllable interface engineering at the anode side. Here, we have rationally designed the structural features of sustainable carbon skeletons from a renewable precursor to unveil the roles of defects and pores for metallic deposition. The obtained carbon skeleton with rich defects and negligible pores exhibits the best performance when applied to protect metal anodes. After long cycling (>1200 hours), the retained high Coulombic efficiency (∼99.9%) of the plating and stripping processes indicates the importance of defects for inducing uniform metallic deposition. Combined with different types of cathodes (
e.g.
, Prussian blue and sulfur), "anode-less" sodium metal batteries with enhanced electrochemical performance are also demonstrated in terms of sustainability.
Sustainable carbon skeletons with rich defects and negligible pores are applied to induce the uniform metallic sodium deposition for stable sodium metal batteries.
Emerging sodium‐ion batteries (NIBs) and potassium‐ion batteries (KIBs) show promise in complementing lithium‐ion battery (LIB) technology and diversifying the battery market. Hard carbon is a ...potential anode candidate for LIBs, NIBs, and KIBs due to its high capacity, sustainability, wide availability, and stable physicochemical properties. Herein, a series of hard carbons is synthesized by hydrothermal carbonization and subsequent pyrolysis at different temperatures to finely tune their structural properties. When tested as anodes, the hard carbons exhibit differing ion‐storage trends for Li, Na, and K, with NIBs achieving the highest reversible capacity. Extensive materials and electrochemical characterizations are carried out to study the correlation of structural features with electrochemical performance and to explain the specific mechanisms of alkali‐ion storage in hard carbons. In addition, the best‐performing hard carbon is tested against a sodium cathode Na3V2(PO4)3 in a Na‐ion pouch cell, displaying a high power density of 2172 W kg−1 at an energy density of 181.5 Wh kg−1 (based on the total weight of active materials in both anode and cathode). The Na‐ion pouch cell also shows stable ultralong‐term cycling (9000 h or 5142 cycles) and demonstrates the promising potential of such materials as sustainable, scalable anodes for beyond Li‐batteries.
Hard carbons are fabricated via hydrothermal carbonization and subsequent pyrolysis at different temperatures. The hard carbons, as anodes, exhibit differing ion‐storage trends for Li, Na, and K. The best‐performing material G1500 is tested against a Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode in a Na‐ion pouch cell, displaying excellent energy/power densities and cycling performance.
The deposition of volatilized Na+ on the surface of the cathode during sintering results in the formation of surface residual alkali (NaOH/Na2CO3NaHCO3) in layered cathode materials, leading to ...serious interfacial reactions and performance degradation. This phenomenon is particularly evident in O3‐NaNi0.4Cu0.1Mn0.4Ti0.1O2 (NCMT). In this study, a strategy is proposed to transform waste into treasure by converting residual alkali into a solid electrolyte. Mg(CH3COO)2 and H3PO4 are reacted with surface residual alkali to generate the solid electrolyte NaMgPO4 on the surface of NCMT, which can be labeled as NaMgPO4@NaNi0.4Cu0.1Mn0.4Ti0.1O2‐X (NMP@NCMT‐X, where X indicates the different amounts of Mg2+ and PO43−). NaMgPO4 acts as a special ionic conductivity channel on the surface to improve the kinetics of the electrode reactions, remarkably improving the rate capability of the modified cathode at a high current density in the half‐cell. Additionally, NMP@NCMT‐2 enables a reversible phase transition from the P3 to OP2 phase in the charge–discharge process above 4.2 V and achieves a high specific capacity of 157.3 mAh g−1 and outstanding capacity retention in the full cell. The strategy can effectively and reliably stabilize the interface and improve the performance of layered cathodes for Na‐ion batteries (NIBs).
NaMgPO4 is used to modify the interface of the O3‐NaNi0.4Cu0.1Mn0.4Ti0.1O2 (NCMT) to reduce surface residual alkali and improve cycle performance. The excellent interface facilitates the transport of Na+ and reduces the dissolution of transition metals (TMs). A high discharge capacity of 157.3 mAh g−1 and a superior stability under the 4.3 V cutoff voltage are obtained successfully in assembled full cells.
Organic–inorganic metal‐halide materials (OIMMs) with zero‐dimensional (0D) structures offer useful optical properties with a wide range of applications. However, successful examples of 0D structural ...OIMMs with well‐defined optical performance at the micro‐/nanometer scale are limited. We prepared one‐dimensional (1D) (DTA)2SbCl5⋅DTAC (DTAC=dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride) single‐crystal microrods and 2D microplates with a 0D structure in which individual (SbCl5)2− quadrangular units are completely isolated and surrounded by the organic cation DTA+. The organic molecular unit with a long alkyl chain (C12) and three methyl groups enables microrod and ‐plate formation. The single‐crystal microrods/‐plates exhibit a broadband orange emission peak at 610 nm with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of ca. 90 % and a large Stokes shift of 260 nm under photoexcitation. The broad emission originates from self‐trapping excitons. Spatially resolved PL spectra confirm that these microrods exhibit an optical waveguide effect with a low loss coefficient (0.0019 dB μm−1) during propagation, and linear polarized photoemission with a polarization contrast (0.57).
Bright organic–inorganic metal halides of (DTA)2SbCl5⋅DTAC (DTAC=dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride) with near unity photoluminescence quantum yields are reported. Tuning of the organic groups associated with these hybrid materials brought about changes to their 1D and 2D morphology. The anisotropic structures demonstrated polarized emission and may be applied as low‐loss waveguides.
•Straw and film mulching led to higher soil water contents in an apple orchard.•Water use efficiency was improved by gravel and straw mulching.•Apple yields were highest for straw mulching followed ...by gravel and film mulching.•Straw mulching is a promising strategy for sustainable water status and apple yields.
Surface mulching has been extensively used for water conservation in dryland orchards. It is critical to choose an appropriate mulching technique for high yield and sustainable development of fruit crops. To solve the impact of water shortage on the production and growth of fruit trees on the Loess Plateau (China), the effects of different surface mulching techniques on an orchard ecosystem were monitored from 2008 to 2015. Different mulching methods, including grass cover (GC), film mulching (FM), straw mulching (SM), and gravel mulching (GM), effectively enhanced the regulatory capacity of soil water reservoir. The soil water content of SM and FM treatments was higher compared with other treatments. With the increase of planting age, the use of deep soil water increased, soil water content showed a decreasing trend, and soil desiccation was partially alleviated. Different mulching treatments improved water use efficiency and apple yield, with the best effect being achieved with GM and SM. GM resulted in lower soil water content, while it increased the proportion of short and medium branches, thus increasing the yield of apples. The water use efficiency was higher and the effect was better for the GM treatment during 2008–2012; thereafter, the benefits decreased due to a mixture of gravel and topsoil. SM produced higher soil water content and apple yield, and its regulation effect on temperature was better than other treatments. Although the soil water content of FM was relatively high, the corresponding yield and water use efficiency were low. The root growth of fruit trees was affected by high summer heat in the FM treatment. Given the high cost of labor required for GM, SM was an appropriate technique to improve the hydrological status and fruit yield of apple orchard soil in the gully region of the Loess Plateau.
The forkhead box A1 (FOXA1) is a crucial transcription factor in initiation and development of breast, lung and prostate cancer. Previous studies about the FOXA1 transcriptional network were mainly ...focused on protein-coding genes. Its regulatory network of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and their role in FOXA1 oncogenic activity remains unknown.
The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data, RNA-seq and ChIP-seq data were used to analyze FOXA1 regulated lncRNAs. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of DSCAM-AS1, RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to determine the expression of FOXA1, estrogen receptor α (ERα) and Y box binding protein 1 (YBX1). RNA pull-down and RIP-qPCR were employed to investigate the interaction between DSCAM-AS1 and YBX1. The effect of DSCAM-AS1 on malignant phenotypes was examined through
and
assays.
In this study, we conducted a global analysis of FOXA1 regulated lncRNAs. For detailed analysis, we chose lncRNA DSCAM-AS1, which is specifically expressed in lung adenocarcinoma, breast and prostate cancer. The expression level of DSCAM-AS1 is regulated by two super-enhancers (SEs) driven by FOXA1. High expression levels of DSCAM-AS1 was associated with poor prognosis. Knockout experiments showed DSCAM-AS1 was essential for the growth of xenograft tumors. Moreover, we demonstrated DSCAM-AS1 can regulate the expression of the master transcriptional factor FOXA1. In breast cancer, DSCAM-AS1 was also found to regulate ERα. Mechanistically, DSCAM-AS1 interacts with YBX1 and influences the recruitment of YBX1 in the promoter regions of FOXA1 and ERα.
Our study demonstrated that lncRNA DSCAM-AS1 was transcriptionally activated by super-enhancers driven by FOXA1 and exhibited lineage-specific expression pattern. DSCAM-AS1 can promote cancer progression by interacting with YBX1 and regulating expression of FOXA1 and ERα.
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