With dramatic changes in lifestyles over the last 20 years, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most prevalent liver disorder in China but has not received sufficient attention. ...NAFLD‐related advanced liver disease and its mortality along with its overall disease burden are expected to increase substantially. There is thus an imperative need to clarify the epidemiological features of NAFLD to guide a holistic approach to management. We summarize eight epidemiological features of NAFLD in China over the past two decades using systematic review and meta‐analysis methodology. Our data reveal a rapid growth in the NAFLD population, especially among younger individuals. Importantly, there is a strong ethnic difference in body mass index (BMI) and genetic risk of NAFLD compared with the US population. The etiology of advanced liver disease and its complications (e.g., hepatocellular carcinoma) has been altered because of a Westernized lifestyle and the implementation of effective vaccination strategies against viral hepatitis. Regional epidemiological patterns of NAFLD indicate that economics, environment, and lifestyle are critical factors in disease progression. The analysis also indicates that a large number of patients remain undiagnosed and untreated because of the inadequacy of diagnostic tools and the absence of effective pharmacologic therapies. Given the burden of NAFLD, future policy and research efforts need to address knowledge gaps to mitigate the risk burden.
With rapid lifestyle transitions, the increasing burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in China has emerged as a major public health issue. To obtain a comprehensive overview of the ...status of NAFLD over the past decade, we evaluated the epidemiology, risk factors, complications, and management of NAFLD in China through a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Five English literature databases and three Chinese databases were searched for relevant topics from 2008 to 2018. A total of 392 studies with a population of 2,054,554 were included. National prevalence of NAFLD was 29.2%, with a heavier disease burden among the middle‐aged, males, those in northwest China and Taiwan, regions with a gross domestic product per capita greater than 100,000 yuan, and Uygur and Hui ethnic groups. Currently, original studies on natural history and complications of NAFLD in China are scarce. Several studies revealed that NAFLD is positively correlated with the incidence of extrahepatic tumors, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. The Chinese population may have a higher hereditary risk of NAFLD due to more frequent nonsynonymous mutations in genes regulating lipid metabolism. Ultrasonography is the primary imaging tool in the detection of NAFLD in China. Serum tests and risk stratification algorithms for staging NAFLD remain under investigation. Specific pharmaceutical treatments for NAFLD are still undergoing clinical trials. It is noteworthy that the Chinese are underrepresented compared with their proportion of the NAFLD population in such trials. Conclusion: China experienced an unexpected rapid increase in the burden of NAFLD over a short period. Rising awareness and urgent actions need to be taken in order to control the NAFLD pandemic in China.
Potassium ion batteries (PIBs) are recognized as one promising candidate for future energy storage devices due to their merits of cost‐effectiveness, high‐voltage, and high‐power operation. Many ...efforts have been devoted to the development of electrode materials and the progress has been well summarized in recent review papers. However, in addition to electrode materials, electrolytes also play a key role in determining the cell performance. Here, the research progress of electrolytes in PIBs is summarized, including organic liquid electrolytes, ionic liquid electrolytes, solid‐state electrolytes and aqueous electrolytes, and the engineering of the electrode/electrolyte interfaces is also thoroughly discussed. This Progress Report provides a comprehensive guidance on the design of electrolyte systems for development of high performance PIBs.
Electrolytes play a critical role in the electrochemical performance of emerging potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs). The research progress on electrolytes of PIBs is summarized in terms of fundamental properties, optimization of electrolyte components and engineering of electrode/electrolyte interfaces, providing a comprehensive guidance on designing more suitable electrolytes for high‐performance PIBs.
The electrolytes in lithium metal batteries have to be compatible with both lithium metal anodes and high voltage cathodes, and can be regulated by manipulating the solvation structure. Herein, to ...enhance the electrolyte stability, lithium nitrate (LiNO3) and 1,1,2,2‐tetrafuoroethyl‐2′,2′,2′‐trifuoroethyl(HFE) are introduced into the high‐concentration sulfolane electrolyte to suppress Li dendrite growth and achieve a high Coulombic efficiency of >99 % for both the Li anode and LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) cathodes. Molecular dynamics simulations show that NO3− participates in the solvation sheath of lithium ions enabling more bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide anion (TFSI−) to coordinate with Li+ ions. Therefore, a robust LiNxOy−LiF‐rich solid electrolyte interface (SEI) is formed on the Li surface, suppressing Li dendrite growth. The LiNO3‐containing sulfolane electrolyte can also support the highly aggressive LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) cathode, delivering a discharge capacity of 190.4 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C for 200 cycles with a capacity retention rate of 99.5 %.
A sulfone‐based electrolyte that contains LiNO3 is developed to support two extreme and aggressive electrodes, the lithium metal anode and the LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) cathode, by forming stable electrode electrolyte interfaces with a high Li plating/stripping Coulombic efficiency of 99.0 % and an unprecedentedly high capacity retention of 99.5 % for the NMC811||Li cells. CEI=cathode electrolyte interphase; SEI=solid electrolyte interface; TFSI−= bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide anion.
All‐solid‐state Li metal batteries have attracted extensive attention due to their high safety and high energy density. However, Li dendrite growth in solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs) still hinders ...their application. Current efforts mainly aim to reduce the interfacial resistance, neglecting the intrinsic dendrite‐suppression capability of SSEs. Herein, the mechanism for the formation of Li dendrites is investigated, and Li‐dendrite‐free SSE criteria are reported. To achieve a high dendrite‐suppression capability, SSEs should be thermodynamically stable with a high interface energy against Li, and they should have a low electronic conductivity and a high ionic conductivity. A cold‐pressed Li3N–LiF composite is used to validate the Li‐dendrite‐free design criteria, where the highly ionic conductive Li3N reduces the Li plating/stripping overpotential, and LiF with high interface energy suppresses dendrites by enhancing the nucleation energy and suppressing the Li penetration into the SSEs. The Li3N–LiF layer coating on Li3PS4 SSE achieves a record‐high critical current of >6 mA cm−2 even at a high capacity of 6.0 mAh cm−2. The Coulombic efficiency also reaches a record 99% in 150 cycles. The Li3N–LiF/Li3PS4 SSE enables LiCoO2 cathodes to achieve 101.6 mAh g−1 for 50 cycles. The design principle opens a new opportunity to develop high‐energy all‐solid‐state Li metal batteries.
According to the proposed principles for the suppression of dendrite formation, a Li3N–LiF composite that is thermodynamically stable and has high interface energy against Li metal is designed as an interlayer for dendrite‐free all‐solid‐state batteries. A Li3N–LiF layer coating on a Li3PS4 solid‐state electrolyte achieves a record‐high critical current of >6 mA cm−2 even at a high capacity of 6.0 mAh cm−2.
The reaction of thiocarbonyl fluoride, generated from difluorocarbene, with various amines under mild conditions is described. Secondary amines, primary amines, and o‐phenylenediamines are converted ...to thiocarbamoyl fluorides, isothiocyanates, and difluoromethylthiolated heterocycles, respectively. Thiocarbamoyl fluorides were further transformed into trifluoromethylated amines by using a one‐pot process. Thiocarbonyl fluoride is generated in situ and is rapidly fully converted in one pot under mild conditions; therefore, no special safety precautions are needed.
Stay safe: The reaction of thiocarbonyl fluoride, generated from difluorocarbene, with various amines proceeded smoothly under mild conditions to give thiocarbamoyl fluorides, isothiocyanates, and difluoromethylthiolated heterocycles. Thiocarbonyl fluoride is generated in situ and no special safety precautions are needed.
Difluoromethylation is a straightforward and widely applied strategy used to incorporate HCF2 into organic molecules. In contrast, cyanation reagents are typically volatile or highly toxic, or they ...require harsh reaction conditions. Incorporation of both CN and HCF2 into organic molecules, such as alkenes, is a worthwhile but challenging task. A method for photocatalyzed cyanodifluoromethylation of alkenes has been developed, which employs a Ph3P+CF2CO2−/NaNH2 (or NH3) reagent system. Ph3P+CF2CO2− functions as both the HCF2 and CN carbon source. A cyanide anion is generated in situ under mild conditions, thereby avoiding the use of toxic cyanation reagents. The photocatalytic method permits cyanodifluoromethylation of a range of alkenes under mild room temperature conditions. The CN group within the products may be further derivatized by standard methods.
Photocatalyzed cyanodifluoromethylation of alkenes with a Ph3P+CF2CO2−/NaNH2 (or NH3) system is described. The use of toxic cyanation reagents can be avoided because Ph3P+CF2CO2− functions as both the HCF2 and CN carbon source to generate a range of HCF2‐ and CN‐containing products under mild conditions, which may be further derivatized.
In carbonate electrolytes, the organic–inorganic solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formed on the Li‐metal anode surface is strongly bonded to Li and experiences the same volume change as Li, thus it ...undergoes continuous cracking/reformation during plating/stripping cycles. Here, an inorganic‐rich SEI is designed on a Li‐metal surface to reduce its bonding energy with Li metal by dissolving 4m concentrated LiNO3 in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as an additive for a fluoroethylene‐carbonate (FEC)‐based electrolyte. Due to the aggregate structure of NO3− ions and their participation in the primary Li+ solvation sheath, abundant Li2O, Li3N, and LiNxOy grains are formed in the resulting SEI, in addition to the uniform LiF distribution from the reduction of PF6− ions. The weak bonding of the SEI (high interface energy) to Li can effectively promote Li diffusion along the SEI/Li interface and prevent Li dendrite penetration into the SEI. As a result, our designed carbonate electrolyte enables a Li anode to achieve a high Li plating/stripping Coulombic efficiency of 99.55 % (1 mA cm−2, 1.0 mAh cm−2) and the electrolyte also enables a Li||LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NMC811) full cell (2.5 mAh cm−2) to retain 75 % of its initial capacity after 200 cycles with an outstanding CE of 99.83 %.
An inorganic‐rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) has been constructed on Li metal to promote dense Li growth with a Coulombic efficiency of 99.55 % in the carbonate electrolyte. It was synthesized on the surface of the Li‐metal anode using concentrated LiNO3 in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as an additive in the FEC‐based electrolyte, which participates in the primary Li+ solvation shell and promotes the reduction of NO3− ions to form the inorganic‐rich SEI.
Lithium (Li) metal is a promising candidate as the anode for high‐energy‐density solid‐state batteries. However, interface issues, including large interfacial resistance and the generation of Li ...dendrites, have always frustrated the attempt to commercialize solid‐state Li metal batteries (SSLBs). Here, it is reported that infusing garnet‐type solid electrolytes (GSEs) with the air‐stable electrolyte Li3PO4 (LPO) dramatically reduces the interfacial resistance to ≈1 Ω cm2 and achieves a high critical current density of 2.2 mA cm−2 under ambient conditions due to the enhanced interfacial stability to the Li metal anode. The coated and infused LPO electrolytes not only improve the mechanical strength and Li‐ion conductivity of the grain boundaries, but also form a stable Li‐ion conductive but electron‐insulating LPO‐derived solid‐electrolyte interphase between the Li metal and the GSE. Consequently, the growth of Li dendrites is eliminated and the direct reduction of the GSE by Li metal over a long cycle life is prevented. This interface engineering approach together with grain‐boundary modification on GSEs represents a promising strategy to revolutionize the anode–electrolyte interface chemistry for SSLBs and provides a new design strategy for other types of solid‐state batteries.
Li3PO4‐infused Li6.5La3Zr1.5Ta0.5O12 via atomic layer deposition with simple annealing is demonstrated to have excellent moisture stability and interfacial stability to a lithium anode by presenting negligible interfacial resistance (≈1 Ω cm2) and a record‐high critical current density of 2.2 mA cm−2 at ambient conditions. This new surface/subsurface engineering approach stabilizes the anode–electrolyte interface for solid‐state batteries.