Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) are in great demand for their impressive successes in serving people's daily life. Concomitantly, recycling the retired LIBs has also aroused the enthusiasm of widespread ...studies due to its great significance in the sustainable development of LIBs. Among the spent LIBs, LiFePO4 (LFP) is the main force because of its widespread use in electric vehicles and grids due to its stability and favorable price. However, considering the low cost of LFP manufacture as well as the abundance of Fe and P, traditional metallurgy processes are not economically feasible for recycling LFP because of high energy consumption and tedious steps. Here, this work proposes a green recycling method to directly regenerate the degraded LFP electrode via an in situ electrochemical process with a functionalized prelithiation separator. Compared with the existing recycling strategies for LFP batteries, the proposed method takes full advantage of the degraded cathode scraps without destroying the original structure, greatly reducing the cost of the remanufacture of the cathode electrodes simply via a prelithiation technique.
Degraded LiFePO4 (D‐LFP) electrodes are directly reassembled into a new battery with a functionalized prelithiation separator and fresh graphite anode. Extra Li+ ions provided by the sacrificial lithium‐containing layer compensate the Li+ loss in the D‐LFP during the initial electrochemical process and thus the capacity of the regenerated battery is largely restored.
Three‐dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) structures have been widely utilized to largely enhance a photocatalytic activity. However, the common nanoparticles‐constructed 3DOM photocatalysts ...possess numerous grain boundaries, unavoidably leading to a fast recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes. Herein, for the first time, a hierarchically two‐dimensional (2D) meso‐microporous perovskite nanosheet‐constructed 3DOM CaTiO3 to significantly reduce the grain boundaries is designed and fabricated. Using carbon quantum dots (CQDs) as a metal‐free co‐catalyst, the 3DOM CQDs‐CaTiO3 exhibits an outstanding photocatalytic activity for hydrogen generation of 0.13 mmol h−1 (20 mg photocatalyst) with remarkable apparent quantum efficiency (QAY) of 14.55% at 365 nm monochromatic light. This unprecedented performance is endowed by the synergy of a macro‐meso‐microporosity architecture, a large surface area, enhanced light harvesting, and improved charge carriers separation and transport. Density functional theory calculations and finite difference time‐domain simulations further reveal the mechanism behind the enhanced separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. The present work demonstrates a trial on rationally designing meso‐microporous nanosheet‐constructed 3DOM perovskites for solar driven hydrogen production.
A perovskite meso‐microporous nanosheet‐constructed 3DOM CaTiO3 decorated with CQDs is designed for remarkable photocatalytic hydrogen production in a noble‐metal free system. The as‐synthesized composite exhibits extremely enhanced photocatalytic activity owing to the easy mass transfer by the synergistic effect of macro‐meso‐microporosity, large surface area, enhanced light harvesting, and improved separation of charge carriers.
To address the serious capacity fading in lithium–sulfur batteries, a 3D ferroconcrete‐like aminated carbon nanotubes network with polyaniline coating as an effective sulfur host to contain ...polysulfide dissolution is presented here. In this composite, the cross‐linked aminated carbon nanotubes framework provides a fast charge transport pathway and enhancement in the reaction kinetics of the active material to greatly improve the rate capability and sulfur utilization. The ethylenediamine moieties provide strong adhesion of polar discharge products to nonpolar carbon surfaces and thus efficiently prevent polysulfide dissolution to improve the cycle stability, confirmed by density functional theory calculations. The outside polyaniline layers structurally restrain polysulfides to prevent the shuttle effect and active material loss. Benefiting from these advantages, the synthesized composite exhibits a high initial capacity of 1215 mAh g−1 and a capacity of 975 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles at 0.2 C. Even after 200 cycles at 0.5 C, a capacity of 735 mAh g−1 can be maintained, among the best performance reported. The strategy in this work can shed some light on modifying nonpolar carbon surfaces via the amination process to chemically attach sulfur species for high‐performance lithium–sulfur batteries.
A 3D ferroconcrete‐like aminated carbon nanotube network with polyaniline surface coating layer is designed to anchor sulfur species. The as‐synthesized cathode composite demonstrates high capacity and long cycle stability for lithium–sulfur batteries, suggesting that amination of nonpolar carbon materials is a promising strategy for effective sulfur species anchoring.
The complexity of chemical compounds in lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) results in great difficulties in the extraction of multiple transition metals, which have similar physicochemical characteristics. ...Here, we propose a novel strategy for selective extraction of nickel, cobalt, and manganese from spent LiNixCoyMn1−x−yO2 (NCM) cathode through the regulation of coordination environment. Depending on adjusting the composition of ligand in transition metal complexes, a tandem leaching and separation system is designed and finally enables nickel, cobalt, and manganese to enrich in the form of NiO, Co3O4, and Mn3O4 with high recovery yields of 99.1 %, 95.1 %, and 95.3 %, respectively. We further confirm that the combination of different transition metals with well‐designed ligands is the key to good selectivity. Through our work, fine‐tuning the coordination environment of metal ions is proved to have great prospects in the battery recycling industry.
The deep eutectic solvent composed of choline chloride and oxalic acid was prepared. After leaching at 120 °C for 10 hours, the nickel oxalate dihydrate and the filtrate containing other metal elements are separated. Then the filtrate is diluted with water to precipitate the cobalt oxalate dihydrate. Finally, manganese compounds were separated by adjusting pH.
Abstract
The prosperity of the lithium‐ion battery market is dialectically accompanied by the depletion of corresponding resources and the accumulation of spent batteries. It is an urgent priority to ...develop green and efficient battery recycling strategies for helping ease resources and environmental pressures at the current stage. Here, we propose a mild and efficient lithium extracting strategy based on potential controllable redox couples. Active lithium in the spent battery without discharging is extracted using a series of tailored aprotic solutions comprised of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and ethers. This ensures a safe yet efficient recycling process with nearly ≈100 % lithium recovery. We further investigate the Li
+
‐electron concerted redox reactions and the effect of solvation structure on kinetics during the extraction, and broaden the applicability of the Li‐PAHs solution. This work can stimulate new inspiration for designing novel solutions to meet efficient and sustainable demands in recycling batteries.
Accumulating evidence illustrates a fundamental role for mitochondria in lung alveolar type 2 epithelial cell (AEC2) dysfunction in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. However, the ...role of mitochondrial fusion in AEC2 function and lung fibrosis development remains unknown. Here we report that the absence of the mitochondrial fusion proteins mitofusin1 (MFN1) and mitofusin2 (MFN2) in murine AEC2 cells leads to morbidity and mortality associated with spontaneous lung fibrosis. We uncover a crucial role for MFN1 and MFN2 in the production of surfactant lipids with MFN1 and MFN2 regulating the synthesis of phospholipids and cholesterol in AEC2 cells. Loss of MFN1, MFN2 or inhibiting lipid synthesis via fatty acid synthase deficiency in AEC2 cells exacerbates bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. We propose a tenet that mitochondrial fusion and lipid metabolism are tightly linked to regulate AEC2 cell injury and subsequent fibrotic remodeling in the lung.
To explore the mechanism of the healing of tendon tissue and anti-adhesion, and to discuss the role of the transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3)/cAMP response element binding protein-1 (CREB-1) ...signaling pathway in the healing process of tendons.
All mice were divided into four groups of 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks respectively. Each time group was divided into four treatment groups: the amplification group, the inhibition group, the negative group, and the control group. When the tendon injury model was established, the CREB-1 virus was injected into the tendon injury parts. A series of methods such as gait behaviourism, anatomy, histological examination, immunohistochemical examination and collagen staining were employed to assess the tendon healing and the protein expression of TGF-β3, CREB-1, Smad3/7 and type I/III collagen (COL-I/III). CREB-1 virus was sent to tendon stem cells to assess the protein expression of TGF-β1, TGF-β3, CREB-1, COL-I/III by methods such as immunohistochemistry and Western blot.
The amplification group showed better gait behaviourism than the inhibition group in the healing process. The amplification group also had less adhesion than the negative group. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of tendon tissue sections showed that the number of fibroblasts in the amplification group was less than the inhibition group, and the immunohistochemical results indicated that the expression of TGF-β3, CREB-1, and Smad7 at each time point was higher than the inhibition group. The expression of COL-I/III and Smad3 in the amplification group was lower than the inhibition group at all time points. The collagen staining indicated that the ratio of type I/III collagen in the amplification group was higher than the negative group at 2,4,8 week. The CREB-1 amplification virus could promote the protein expression of TGF-β3, CREB-1 and inhibit the protein expression of TGF-β1 and COL-I/III in the tendon stem cells.
In the process of tendon injury healing, CREB-1 could promote the secretion of TGF-β3, so as to promote the tendon healing and have the effect of anti-adhesion in tendons. It might provide new intervention targets for anti-adhesion treatment of tendon injuries.
Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as a promising large‐scale energy storage system owing to the abundant and low‐cost sodium resources. However, their practical application still needs to ...overcome some problems like slow redox kinetics and poor capacity retention rate. Here, a high‐performance ZnSe/carbon fibers (ZnSe‐CFs) anode is demonstrated with high electrons/Na+ transport efficiency for sodium‐ion half/full batteries by engineering ZnSe/C heterostructure. The electrochemical behavior of the ZnSe‐CFs heterostructure anode is deeply studied via in situ characterizations and theoretical calculations. Phase conversion is revealed to accelerate the “Zn‐escape” effect for the formation of robust solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). This leads to the ZnSe‐CFs delivering a superior rate performance of 206 mAh g−1 at 1500 mA g−1 for half battery and an initial discharge capacity of 197.4 mAh g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 for full battery. The work here heralds a promising strategy to synthesize advanced heterostructured anodes for SIBs, and provides the guidance for a better understanding of phase conversion anodes.
A ZnSe/carbon fibers (ZnSe‐CFs) anode with high electrons/Na+ transport efficiency by engineering ZnSe/C heterostructure is designed for high performance sodium‐ion half/full batteries. Phase conversion is found to accelerate the “Zn‐escape” effect for the formation of robust solid electrolyte interphase, providing the guidance for a better understanding of phase conversion anodes for high‐performance sodium‐ion batteries.
Abstract
Male fertility declines with age. The mevalonate pathway, through which cholesterol and nonsteroidal isoprenoids are synthesized, plays key role in metabolic processes and is an essential ...pathway for cholesterol production and protein prenylation. Male reproductive aging is accompanied by dramatic changes in the metabolic microenvironment of the testis. Since the mevalonate pathway has an important role in spermatogenesis, we attempted to explore the association between male reproductive aging and the mevalonate pathway to explain the mechanism of male reproductive aging. Alterations in the mevalonate pathway may affect male reproductive aging by decreasing cholesterol synthesis and altering testis protein prenylation. Decreased cholesterol levels affect cholesterol modification, testosterone production, and remodeling of germ cell membranes. Aging‐related metabolic disorders also affect the metabolic coupling between somatic cells and spermatogenic cells, leading to male fertility decline. Therefore, we hypothesized that alterations in the mevalonate pathway represent one of the metabolic causes of reproductive aging.
Optical physical unclonable functions (PUFs) have been proven to be one of the most effective anti‐counterfeiting strategies. However, optical PUFs endowed with flexibility and biocompatibility have ...not been developed, limiting their application scenarios. Herein, biocompatible and flexible optical PUF labels are developed by randomly embedding microdiamonds in silk fibroin films. The PUF labels can be conformally attached onto the surface of complex shaped objects, providing the desired protection against fake and interior products. In this system, silk fibroin films serve as a flexible and biocompatible substrate, while the Raman signal of the microdiamonds serves as response of the excitation. The extremely high stability and random distribution of the microdiamonds ensure the performance of PUFs, and the maximum encoding capability of 210000 is finally realized. The cytotoxicity analysis results also verify the biosafety of the PUF system. In addition, the as‐prepared PUF labels are attached onto the surface of polyethylene material, and human skin, and even have been implanted under chicken skin tissue, promising their practical applications.
Flexible and biocompatible physical unclonable function labels are designed and demonstrated by using microdiamonds as the response of the excitation and silk fibroin films as a flexible and biocompatible substrate, which have been applied for protection against fake objects with complex shapes.
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